Bidzos on CNBC, discussing Leahy's Bill

I'm watching Jim Bidzos being interviewed on CNBC...mainly about Leahy's
bill (he's in favor of it)....(One of the benefits of having CNBC business
news on all the time while I'm here online.)

He thinks it's a good bill, good for U.S. industry, good for
California...says some of the language in the bill still provides for "key
escrow" of some sort (I think he means the criminal use of crypto
provisions....).

He still thinks customers absolutely do not want any other parties to hold
their keys ("You don't give copies of the keys to your front door or your
filing cabinets to the government now, so why should you just because the
medium changes from filing cabinets to computer form."--paraphrased).

No further word on RSADSI going public, though. (I'm constantly surprised
that this hasn't happened, what will all the later-comers going public, and
the general hyping of "Internet security" (not that it isn't important,
just that it seems that any company with these magic words in its name or
prospectus zooms through the roof on IPO).

--Tim


Boycott "Big Brother Inside" software!
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, we 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: 2^756839 - 1  | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

I'm in favor of the Bill because it specifically prevents, by law, the
US Govt from mandating key escrow. Also because it would, by law,
force export control of crypto out of the Dept. of State and into the
Dept.  of Commerce, effectively allowing any crypto used in the US and
"widely available" to be exported. (The bill does a few other things.
One, it provides for criminal penalties for key holders who abuse
their role as an escrow agent, assuming anyone *chose* to use key
escrow.  Second, it makes the use of encryption -any encryption- a
crime if used in the commission of or support of any criminal
activity. I think the bill would be better off without these
provisions, but I suspect this is an attempt to give the
administration something.)

I anticipate that the Administration, led by the intelligence and law
enforcement interests, will vigorously lobby against this bill...