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At the RSA security conference in San Jose in fall 2000, the company hastily organized a "PGP export ceremony." Two US members of Congress who have fought to relax crypto export regulations took the stage with Phil Zimmermann, author of PGP. Here's what happened next, from an account by Cabe Franklin:
Phil asked if he could finally grant permission to the Congressmen to export PGP. The crowd got a kick out of this, and the mood was high. Without further ado, Goodlatte and Lofgren took their positions at the computer (the monitor was linked to a giant projection screen so the crowd could see what was going on) -- Lofgren attached the PGP executable, addressed it [to a Ministry of Defense official in the UK], typed a note saying "this is the first export of PGP software, from U.S. Congressman Bob Goodlatte and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, sent 1/18/2000" and clicked Send, and it was done. Wild applause.
What was all the cheering about?
What's the problem underneath the problem? What needs to change for the problem to get solved?
The problem | How can we protect privacy enough to encourage development of the Internet?
Your data "fingerprints" make it easy to track personal details:
the times
when you surf
the purchases you make
the messages you post to
newsgroups and mailing lists
Computers make it cheap and easy to compile and sell personal information.
End users are finally learning what Webmasters have known
for years -- that surfing the Web is not at all the anonymous activity
is seems to be.
Every site
the user visits,
every link
she clicks,
the contents of every
fill-out form she submits,
every image
she looks at,
every message
she posts to a newsgroup,
is meticulously recorded, collated, and archived on some server, somewhere.
Web marketers are eager to purchase this data because it gives an
intimate look at the tastes and preferences of a demographic group with
disposable income at hand, and many Web sites have no reluctance to sell it.
Lincoln Stein, Webmaster's Domain
On the one hand
Your privacy is paramount, your anonymity is essential. You need the liberty to escape into a wonder-world and behave in a way that would not be acceptable in the 'real' world ... if you choose.
It follows that webweavers should know nothing about you, the "real" you, whoever that is.
On the other hand
Compared to old media, the Web is interactive, dynamic, and many-to-many. The more the webweavers know about you, the more useful they can make the webs. (privacy vs personalization)
Be A Net Spy!
Really! (Maybe)
by Michelle Finley
Better Business Bureau's Understandingprivacy.org
The Privacy Leadership Initiative believes that consumers must be able to choose how their personal information is used to better meet their everyday needs.
Basic vocabulary
Privacy Foundation's Glossary
privacy | anonymity | invisibility
What does everyone agree with?
Map out the current landscape of this problem by defining the issues.
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse's terrific list of links to privacy resources.
Privacy Foundation's Glossary
public key encryption / infrastructure (PKI)
Business.com's Employee Internet Management (EIM) Information, aka corporate filters, nannyware, censorware
Spyware Watch - spyware, adware, stealware - stay aware!
Defending
Against Spyware Invasion (.pdf)
Brian J. Smith
GSEC Practical, February 28, 2003
Everyone who uses the Internet today is being watched. Exactly how closely someone is watching depends on the user. Spyware has become a very easy way to monitor and collect information about many users on the Internet. With the growing popularity of freeware programs, the spyware can simply be embedded with the freeware, and easily distributed and installed without the user’s knowledge. Methods of detecting and eliminating spyware will be discussed, as well as ways of preventing it from being installed in the first place. Investigating the spyware that comes with Kazaa will help shed some light on different techniques software developers are using to distribute the spyware.
LavaSoft - Protect Your Privacy
Center for Democracy and Technology Guide to Online Privacy and Privacy Issues (Note the links on the left-hand side.)
Who has a stake in the problem? Who is concerned about the issues?
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse's terrific list of links to privacy resources.
ACLU's
Privacy & Technology and
Cyber-Liberties
Center for Democracy and
Technology
Electronic Frontier Foundation
A non-profit group of passionate people — lawyers, volunteers, and visionaries — working to protect your digital rights.
Electronic Privacy Information Center
Privacy.org - The Source for News, Information, and Action
a human rights group formed in 1990 as a watchdog on surveillance by governments and corporations. PI is based in London, England, and has an office in Washington, D.C. PI has conducted campaigns throughout the world on issues ranging from wiretapping and national security, to ID cards, video surveillance, data matching, police information systems, medical privacy, and freedom of information and expression.
Global Internet Liberty Campaign
Online Privacy Alliance's Guidelines for Online Privacy Policies
The Online Privacy Alliance will lead and support self-regulatory initiatives that create an environment of trust and that foster the protection of individuals' privacy online and in electronic commerce.
Paul Hardwick's Privacy Digest: Privacy News, Civil Rights, Encryption, Free Speech, Cryptography
Privacy Exchange - an online global resource for consumer privacy and data protection.
An independent, non-profit privacy initiative dedicated to building users' trust and confidence on the Internet and accelerating growth of the Internet industry. We've developed a third-party oversight "seal" program that alleviates users' concerns about online privacy, while meeting the specific business needs of each of our licensed Web sites.
encryption software
PGP - Pretty Good Privacy -- download the free personal version from MIT
Any issue as broad as privacy is made up of sub-issues and underlying issues and larger issues.
Help us untangle this complex situation by clearly stating the prominent privacy issues in debatable terms.
Excerpt, summarize, and link to the partisan advocacy positions on privacy taken by the players.
How
to Read a Privacy Policy (Without a Bullpucky Meter)
06/20/2001
by Jim Klockow
TechSanity, June 20, 2001
A good privacy policy answers four questions clearly, and should be understandable even if you're not a lawyer.
How is privacy affected by the driving and restraining forces of the Internet?
small,
fast, cheap
visual: multimedia
networked: big pipes
embedded: almost invisible
universal: everyone has
them; international
ubiquitous: always on,
everywhere
intelligent
easy to use
trusted
standardized
What's the privacy policy on Ricci Street? You'll find it on Ricci Green in the Principles section under Ideals.
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