From: "Timothy C. May" <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 14:39:49 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Attention Journalists (was Re: TIS_sue)
In-Reply-To: <1.5.4.32.19961217131004.006a82e4@pop.pipeline.com>
Message-ID: <v03007800aede21e3fb62@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 11:08 AM -0600 12/17/96, Andrew Loewenstern wrote:
>>    In a development that may signal the beginning of the end
>>    of the long standing encryption export control controversy,
>>    TIS today announced that products using very strong
>>    cryptography with its RecoverKey technology have been approved
>>    for general purpose export control under new export
>>    regulations.
>
>For those journalists reading the list that aren't experts in cryptology:
>if
>someone outside of your control can recover the key, then it is NOT "very
>strong" cryptography.

Another piece of advice for journalists: stop saying the latest proposal
"may signal the beginning of the end of the impasse..." and similar such
puffery.

We heard this about the Lotus 40+24 stupid idea a year or so ago, we heard
this about the IBM key recovery thing a few months ago, we heard this about
the H-P/Intel scheme a few weeks ago, and now we're hearing about it again
with the latest revision of the TIS proposal.

Journalists seem to be just rewriting the press releases of these
companies, all of whom are building the technologies to sell out the
remaining liberties of Americans. These corporations, and the journalist
who tout their stories, are the modern equivalent of the German
companies...you know the reference.

("The development of Zyklon-B may signal the beginning of the end of the
long standing controversy regarding the Jewish problem.")

--Tim May

Just say "No" to "Big Brother Inside"
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: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."