It's all theater.
Or something more sinister.
He might mean banning apps where the service provider isn't involved in the crypto and thus can't decrypt messages on demand. Like Skype for example - it's basically secure crypto-wise, but since everything goes through Microsoft servers they can (and do) eavesdrop on any conversation they like.
A weak implementation of crypto is just as bad as week crypto, though. In the case of Skype, for instance, Microsoft can force clients to (silently) downgrade from p2p crypto to server-mediated crypto for eavesdropping. Even if you consider the Russian and Chinese governments (who have access to this capability) to be good guys this MITM capability is always at risk of being used by others.
Also there's little they can do about plugins like OTR: they don't need to access a server so they can't be blocked, it's difficult to force OSS projects to silently weaken their crypto and there's bugger all the IM provider can do to decrypt them or limit their usage.
That has nothing to do with export regulations and everything to do with the fact that strong implementations of asymmetric cryptography and user friendliness have, so far, proved to be mutually exclusive.
In fact, PGP has become the defacto standard for assymetric, non-centralised cryptography - so I'd say it's been very successful.
How much financial success did Phil Zimmerman enjoy?
PGP was sold to Network Associates for $36 million. I don't know how much of that Zimmerman saw personally, but I'd call that a financial success.
Whatever happened to the doctrine of first sale? Yes, I know that's about IP, but the same principle surely applies here: "I bought the f***ing motor, I'll do what the f**k I like with it!"
(Obviously there's legitimate grounds for the government to stop them flying over your house if there's an unreasonably high risk that the plane will drop out the sky, but over the sea?)
PGP: Source Code and Internals - Phil Zimmerman - books have 1A protection. So I have no doubt we'll soon see "The Liberator: Source Plans and Internals - Cody Wilson".
Also, WTF does "If it's an executable digital file, any foreign interests can get a hold of it" mean? Is ISIS unable to use non-executable files?
the time has come for companies such as Google, Facebook and Twitter to accept and understand that their current privacy policies are completely unsustainable?
Unsustainable means that it will become inherently impossible for Google, Facebook and Twitter to continue sustaining them, not that bad stuff will happen (which it won't); or whatever David "Call-me-Adolf" Cameron thinks it means.
focus on using its enormous data assets to make meaningful connections between people and facilitate organic engagement within a rich ecosystem. Interestingly
As far as I can tell this translates into English as "all ure privacies are belong to us".
And it's the government's business to ensure that happens. If you think that in your jurisdiction the government isn't doing enough to disqualify fraudulent accountants, campaign for changes in the law.
No, it's my business to decide who I think makes a suitable accountant for ME, not the governments. End of.
Acting on an individual level, emotions override logic, and we need someone to take a detached overview to prevent a descent into mob justice.
Do they really? Or is it just that the level of risk is too high for most people to stomach for themselves, despite their willingness to push it on others? I don't see what business anyone else has deciding what level of risk I want to accept into my business dealings.
You realise that's exactly what happens right? You know that in the UK such convictions only have to be disclosed for a certain amount of time afterwards yes?
Is/aught. And yes, I am aware of that fact.
If you weren't to know it then you're admitting that you will view them differently, which is kind of the point.
No, I'm suggesting that trying to invoke the Streisand effect will neither effectively hide the past nor effect social change. Since we can't hide the past we should go for social change instead. Which is exactly what I said in the later part of that paragraph.
The problem is that it destroys the jobs of taxi drivers, but does not create new jobs.
Well it's entirely possible that oversupply of drivers will push down the cost of taking a taxi. This in turn could lead to more taxi journeys, or more jobs in other service sectors, as people spend that saved money elsewhere. Also it could push down the cost of living. I'm not saying this will be the outcome, but that your argument relies on an assumed, and unjustified, premise.
I would say that. I would say it's not the government's business to tell me what should give me concern. Would you employee an accountant that had been previously convicted for stealing money from clients? Would you want the government to hide that record so they have a second chance? No.
I agree society isn't quick enough to grant second chance, but I also understand why many people (even those who preach second chances) aren't so quick to give them when it's their kids/money/property etc. in danger. But we do need cultural change: the level of stigma attached to bankruptcy (for instance) in Europe is far too high - I think we would do far better to adopt a bit of the US's attitude to that. But simply hiding someone's history won't make me change what I would think about their history if I were to know it - it won't address the true problem, at best it might relieve the symptoms a bit.
If A = B and B = C, then A = C, except where void or prohibited by law. -- Roy Santoro