From: "Timothy C. May" <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 11:39:04 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Why is cryptoanarchy irreversible?
In-Reply-To: <v02140b11aea9198ebda1@[192.0.2.1]>
Message-ID: <v03007803aea93bec7016@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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At 9:50 AM -0800 11/8/96, Peter Hendrickson wrote:
>At 11:29 AM 11/8/1996, Jeremiah A Blatz wrote:

>> 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.
>
>Face-to-face communications in isolated environs does not a cryptoanarchy
>make.

Yes, but you're the one talking about bombings, mass killings, Sarin gas
attacks, and other such examples of "terrorism." You cite the presence of
these things as why the Constitution will effectively be suspended and why
neighbors will cheerfully conduct vigilante raids on their suspected
terrorists.

Crypto anarchy is not the same thing as terrorism. Calling terrorism
"crypto anarchy" does not make it so.

--Tim May


"The government announcement is disastrous," said Jim Bidzos,.."We warned IBM
that the National Security Agency would try to twist their technology."
[NYT, 1996-10-02]
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1,257,787-1 | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."