From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 04:46:59 +0800
To: cypherpunks@Algebra.COM
Subject: Re: Anonymous proxies & ITAR question
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GUL.3.95.970613205522.3433K-100000@Networking.Stanford.EDU>
Message-ID: <v03102804afcb4cc879c4@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 10:21 AM -0700 6/16/97, Bill Stewart wrote:
>At 08:59 PM 6/13/97 -0700, you wrote:
>>This is why we need more remailers, and why it's good that you posted
>>anonymously. The proper thing to do is to be "shocked, shocked!" that
>>anything illegal is happening on your server,
>	... your ecash, sir ....
>>immediately shut it down (counting on the network to be self-healing
>>with the help of an enhanced remailer list), and offer to cooperate fully.
>>Unfortunately, you don't keep logs, so you wouldn't really be able to help
>> (damn!).
>
>Shutting it down would be bad - that gives them an easy denial of service
>attack (though better to have them use that attack than child porn....)

Another strategy, besides the "I'm shocked, simply shocked, and I'll shut
it down immediately, sir!" cave-in, is to say this:

"I operate an electronic mail service. I abide by the terms of the
Electronic Communications Privacy Act,  the ECPA, and I do not inspect or
monitor the contents of the mail flowing in my system. To do so would be a
violation of the ECPA. And besides the ECPA, such inspection would be a
violation of the property rights of my users.

"I take a hands off approach to uses of my mail  service, as the ECPA
expects me to do, and what customers are sending is none of my concern.

"If you have a problem with something sent by one of my customers, or wish
to question him or her about the contents of their mail, I suggest you
obtain proper court orders and contact him or her directly.

"Whether you can identify him or her is your problem, not mine."


--Tim May



There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
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."