[Cryptography] The role of the IETF in security of the Internet: for or against the NSA? for or against the security of users of the net?

[ianG]

On 24/03/2014 23:53 pm, Sandy Harris wrote:
> On Sat, Mar 22, 2014 at 9:58 AM, Gary Mulder <flyingkiwiguy at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Would the RFC process be the ideal forum for development of an Internet
>> Magna Carta?
> 
> There are already some policy documents, as well as the standards
> track & BCP security documents:
> 
> RFC 1984 (best number choice on record?)
> IAB and IESG Statement on Cryptographic Technology and the Internet
> https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1984
> 
> RFC 2804 IETF Policy on Wiretapping
> https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2804
> 
> There may be others that I don't know about.
> 
> But yes, some sort of Magna Carta would be a good idea and
> the IETF would in some ways be a good place to develop one.
> The trick would be to avoid most of the politics and keep
> discussion to the technical issues.


Analogy may serve, but look to Chinese curse:  be careful what you wish for!

Is the IETF a place for individuals to find their rights?

Or is it a place for the barons to force their rights over the monarch
at the point of a sword?  A reading of the history of Magna Carta may
show a very different view to cozy ideals.

Who are today's barons?  Google, Facebook, IBM, Microsoft?  And if the
fought over a new Great Charter with the monarch, what would they ask for?

And what would be left for the individuals?



iang