From: frantz@netcom.com (Bill Frantz)
Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 15:14:43 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Burns Bill
Message-ID: <199605022252.PAA01532@netcom8.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


A quick read thru the text of the bill (via http://www.cdt.org/crypto/)
shows none of the principle objectionable features of the Lehey bill. 
(Standards for key escrow agents, and additional criminal penalties for
using encryption to hinder an investigation.)

This bill has some obscure, to me, exceptions.  The most troubling of which
I think means (IANAL) that export can be restricted if there is a
reasonable expectation that the hard/software will be reexported to one of
the countries on the extreme bad boys list.  This provision could possibly
be construed to affect FTP sites, but in any case, it is not clear how
passage of the bill could possibly make things worse.

Its provisions preventing the Secretary of Commerce from developing
standards for anyone except government agencies, and forbidding mandatory
GAK/key escrow are very welcome.


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