4.7.1. Speech
- "Public speech is not a series of public speeches, but
rather one's own
words spoken openly and without shame....I desire a society
where all may speak freely about whatever topic they will.
I desire that all people might be able to choose to whom
they wish to speak and to whom they do not wish to speak.
I desire a society where all people may have an assurance
that their words are directed only at those to whom they
wish. Therefore I oppose all efforts by governments to
eavesdrop and to become unwanted listeners." [Eric Hughes,
1994-02-22]
- "The government has no right to restrict my use of
cryptography in any way. They may not forbid me to use
whatever ciphers I may like, nor may they require me to use
any that I do not like." [Eric Hughes, 1993-06-01]
4.7.2. "Should there be _any_ limits whatsoever on a person's use of
cryptography?"
- No. Using the mathematics of cryptography is merely the
manipulation of symbols. No crime is involved, ipso facto.
- Also, as Eric Hughes has pointed out, this is another of
those questions where the normative "should" or "shouldn't"
invokes "the policeman inside." A better way to look at is
to see what steps people can take to make any question of
"should" this be allowed just moot.
- The "crimes" are actual physical acts like murder and
kidnapping. The fact that crypto may be used by plotters
and planners, thus making detection more difficult, is in
no way different from the possibility that plotters may
speak in an unusual language to each other (ciphers), or
meet in a private home (security), or speak in a soft voice
when in public (steganography). None of these things should
be illegal, and *none of them would be enforceable* except
in the most rigid of police states (and probably not even
there).
- "Crypto is thoughtcrime" is the effect of restricting
cryptography use.
4.7.3. Democracy and censorship
- Does a community have the right to decide what newsgroups
or magazines it allows in its community? Does a nation have
the right to do the same? (Tennessee, Iraq, Iran, France.
Utah?)
- This is what bypasses with crypto are all about: taking
these majoritarian morality decisions out of the hands of
the bluenoses. Direct action to secure freedoms.
By Tim May, see README
HTML by Jonathan Rochkind