[Gllug] Editors

[Tom Gilbert]

* Bruce Richardson (brichardson at lineone.net) wrote:
> On Sun, Jul 29, 2001 at 07:12:57PM +0100, Tom Gilbert wrote:
> > a) If the authorities do ask for your data, and you have done nothing
> > illegal, what is the problem?
> 
> My problem is that it should be my choice?  Why should the authorities
> have the right to know anything and everything about me, not matter that
> I have committed no crime.
> 
> You have the question the wrong way round.  If I have done nothing
> illegal, why are they asking for my data?  What is their problem?
> 
> You can tatto your date of birth, sexual preferences etc on your
> forehead if it makes you happy.  If I choose to keep these things to
> myself, I shouldn't be forced arbitrarily to reveal them.

_If you are suspected of a serious criminal activity_.

I don't give a toss about your date of birth. I _do_ give a toss if you
have pictures of my 9yr-old step daughter on your hard drive.

> > b) I would rather live in a country where the authorites can look at my
> > data if the _suspect I have partaken in illegal activities_, if it means
> > that child pornographers and terrorists (the people who really benefit
> > from tools such as stegfs) are more easily caught and prosecuted.
> 
> There's not the slightest evidence that RIP will help against crime, any
> more than the "Prevention of Terrorism Act" ever prevented an act of
> terrorism.  Besides, the whole point is that you don't need to be a
> suspect of anything.  If you possess encrypted data then not handing it
> over at the authorities request is a crime in itself.  The mere
> existence of the data itself constitutes grounds for action, should the
> authorities so choose.

They aren't going to know you have encrypted data unless they have
already got a warrant to search your premises, in which case they
already have a body of proof against you.

Tom.
-- 
   .^.    .-------------------------------------------------------.
   /V\    | Tom Gilbert, London, England | http://linuxbrit.co.uk |
 /(   )\  | Open Source/UNIX consultant  | tom at linuxbrit.co.uk    |
  ^^-^^   `-------------------------------------------------------'

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