Slashdot Mirror
Greplaw Interviews Phil Zimmermann
LawGeek writes "The venerable GrepLaw crew has struck again, this time with Editor Mikael Pawlo interviewing PGP author and all-around encryption expert Phil Zimmermann. Pawlo discussed a number of topics with Zimmerman, including the current state of encryption export laws, DRM, and activism against erosion of privacy both in the U.S. and internationally. The interview is here."
...But technology can fail. Technology can also be "hacked". Technology should only be used as a supplement and taken wih a grain of salt when accuracy absolutely matters. Like the Naval saying: Satellites fail, compasses do not.
The difference is that you don't leave your photograph on every door handle and toilet seat you touch... or at least I don't.
______________________________
The Spiders are coming
When asked about encryption technology, he thought it was great that a person could control who read his data. When asked about DRM, he said it was bad that a person could restrict who reads his data. Or does Zimmerman have a bias against companies? A person should be free to encrypt data, but not a company? Or is is, you should be able to encrypt data unless you're selling it? DRM is encryption. I don't see why this guy thinks some people have the right to use it while others don't, just because he thinks it's bad for society somehow when some people use it. He didn't care that terrorists were using PGP, but was concerned about the music industry using DRM. That I find disturbing.
Vote for Pedro
Here are links to more Greplaw interviews that you may find interesting:
Patrik Faltstrom on IESG, IETF etc.
Don Marti on free software, patents and the Internet.
Cyberlaw profiles: Jennifer Granick.
We try to interview interesting people who one way or another affect and form Internet law and policy. Feel free to suggest people we should interview.
Regards,
Mikael
Pawlo.com
Bullshit.
You leave your photograph in every store you go to, every public washroom you enter, every highway you drive on.
You're captured on film at least a dozen times a day. At least I am (and other people who go outside).
It's a lot less work to have a computer scan the tapes for the same face than to send crews to dust for fingerprints over the entire planet multiple times daily.
Noone cares where you go to take a dump.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
You are correct sir. Even if you have theoretically unbreakable encryption, or time consuming to break encryption, it is always breakable. There is the human factor. A computer to brute-force encryption algorithms costs millions, but a $1000 bribe can be just as effecive if you have a disgruntled employee who does not take security seriously.