New UK crypto law and an idea on how to defeat it

Rodrigo Bernardo Pimentel rbp@pobox.com
Thu, 2 Dec 1999 01:27:39 -0200


On Wed, Dec 01 1999 at 08:57:41pm +0000, Sean Rima wrote:

> Hi Rodrigo!
Hi, Sean :)
> No it makes no mention of who it would be targetted towards. But as has been
> said in a previous reply, the police would and do believe that anyone using
> any form of encryption have something to hide.
(...)
> It is a matter of educating the people in power that the average person who
> uses any form of encryption has nothing to hide.
Educating people is a very subjective measure. People in power may never be educated. They may be and still use their power to their own accord. In any case, I'm not willing to take a chance. Unless they're not legally and objectively restricted as to what they can demand from me, I don't trust they'll take the right attitude.
> I personnaly would welcome
> any visit from any law enforcement agency to show that I have nothing to
> hide. Even my choice of NG's would show.
Definetely, so would I. Unless "showing I have nothing to hide" includes invading my privacy (or, in this case, giving my private encryption keys away). That's my point: law enforcement officials should have their rights very well defined. Any officer can come up with a "suspicion of ilegal activities". Do you like Monty Python? - There's a paper bag I have found on the premises! I must confiscate it and take it for clinical examination! - Wait a minute! You just took that out of your pocket! Get the idea? If they want to have the right to demand encryption private keys (whici I oppose to, for the very reason that moves our discussion on this subject), the same law should clearly state the cases where this applies. It shouldn't be left for future consideration. I have seen too many cases of police abuse not to distrust the people with the badge... rbp ________________________________________________________________________ Rodrigo Bernardo Pimentel <rbp@pobox.com>| GPG KeyID: 81F85A48 LinuxSP <http://www.linuxsp.org.br>| Fingerprint: AirGeeks <http://www.airgeeks.org>|7E62 9CA2 C95B FC86 B334 _____________ Debian Linux User ______________|203E C011 2E4D 81F8 5A48 Duct tape is like the Force: it has a dark side and a light side, and it holds the Universe together.