Is that they want to go after application layer security as well according to the NYTimes article (They want it to include "Developers of software that enables peer-to-peer communication must redesign their service to allow interception."). If that is the case, then this is a direct assault on the right to privacy for all US citizens. Even worse is that it is being touted as a way to catch the bad guys instead of a means to obtain the right to spy on the general population. Any self respecting bad guy will use application layer encryption (i.e. PGP etc.) that works independent of the transport encryption. Do you really think bad guys are going to use software that plays by the rules this law creates?
If this law also goes after application layer security - in other words, it tries to make it illegal to make/use software to enforce your own privacy - then this is a HUGE problem and we all need to act to help inform those around us who don't understand the repercussions of such a law. Right now we have the right to make/use software that protects our privacy. Do you want to live in a country that has removed this right in the name of protecting its citizenry from the evil doers?
Comparing this report (which shows flash plugin usage within chrome users) to this report (which shows general flash plugin usage) - it seems only 2% of chrome users have no flash plugin compared to 3.9% across all browsers.
Depending on how you look at it, this is either a sign chrome users don't need additional help getting flash installed or that google is simply catering to their users who have a special affinity for the flash plugin - you decide.
My guess would be this is some special strategic bond between Adobe and Google to further push flash since silverlight is by far the fastest growing plugin technology - but that growth is partially tied to the growth of Windows 7 which comes with silverlight.
A while back I got tired of everybody tracking me online so I cracked down on permanent browser storage. I ended up getting rid of all cookies on browser close and ran these commands:
rm -rf ~/.macromedia/Flash_Player/*
rm -rf ~/.adobe/Flash_Player/*
With sudo:
chown -R root.root
chmod -R 0600
The flash cookie problem was solved and I have not noticed anything has changed. Of course, I don't really see much flash other than flash ads - so it might break some things I am unaware of.
On windows the same directories are stored elsewhere - but the same overall technique should work fine I would think.
The moon is made of green cheese. -- John Heywood