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3 entries, oldest first. Connections are editorial tags, not claims that the authors shared one position.
This panel examines who should control cryptography as communication moves online. Gilmore argues that cryptographic policy must be debated publicly, criticising rules that manufacturers discover only while seeking export permission. Other speakers examine commercial constraints, civil liberties and the relationship between anonymity and accountability.
Who gets to define the rules for private communication, and can those rules themselves be secret?
EFF’s initial response to the Clipper proposal questions adopting an encryption standard before public consultation. It asks for independent scrutiny of the algorithm, competition among manufacturers and public examination of key escrow. This early response leaves questions open rather than treating the policy debate as already settled.
Can people trust an encryption standard whose design they cannot independently examine?
Diffie places encryption within everyday social functions: recognising people, signing commitments and speaking privately. Moving those functions into electronic systems makes cryptography a foundation of ordinary life. He challenges a secret standard and government-access mechanism on grounds of civil rights, business security and innovation.
What happens to private conversation when everyday life becomes electronic?