From: Jeremiah A Blatz <jer+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 08:31:39 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Why is cryptoanarchy irreversible?
In-Reply-To: <v03007802aea86e3be000@[207.167.93.63]>
Message-ID: <0mUpzf200YUf065kw0@andrew.cmu.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

Peter's point: If everyone in the US wants a ban on strong crypto,
excepth the people on this list and the million-odd terrorists who are
using strong crypto to murder, rape, pillage, etc., then strong crypto
will be banned.

If I understarn your point, Peter, you are correct. However, there
probably won't be thousands of terrorist folks who can't be caught
because of their expert use of strong crypto. I mena, half the mad
bombers in the US try to get their deposit back on the vans that they
used to blow up buildings. Do you think these people will be able to
effectively use crypto?

Furthermore, terrorrim and etc do not depend upon secure
communications to work. People tend to be able to talk face-to-face in
isolated environs, this is just as effective as a good public-key
cryptosystem. Crypto won't suddenly protect the types of people who
are professional killers/terrorists from scrutiny. It meerly would
allow them to communicate securely over distances of more than 10
feet. This, IMO, is not much of a win for them.

So, you're right. Given the proper conditions, strong crypto could
probably be mostly stopped. However, these conditions are quite
unlikely to arise.

Jer

"standing on top of the world/ never knew how you never could/ never knew
 why you never could live/ innocent life that everyone did" -Wormhole

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.2

iQB1AwUBMoNf5ckz/YzIV3P5AQHzNwL/XDr62TKhBrthrrWkS1KRv/H0yryv0EkO
PErVFSHWC9YsNdON97YXD75fHrVdhpfPUfHStmJY9l7IM91RQkoozolV36Q3OwVy
YOa3tEtn4TuCq3wxD2xIwaAlVWkBe0jw
=gXVT
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----