[Cryptography] Comey: targeted ads => plaintext access

Henry Baker hbaker1 at pipeline.com
Sat Sep 19 21:40:56 EDT 2015


At 02:38 PM 9/19/2015, Tony Arcieri wrote:
>On Sun, Sep 13, 2015 at 2:38 PM, Jerry Leichter <leichter at lrw.com> wrote:
>The plaintext itself *can* be protected by using an end-to-end encryption protocol.
>
>That will prevent targeting of ads - and things like server-side searches.
>
>(It doesn't provide the kind of security properties you'd probably really like to have, but that's another story.)

I assume that the FBI/DHS is already buying keywords from Google in Google's ad auctions, so the FBI is already reaping whatever information any other advertiser can also get from Google.

I haven't checked, but how much could the arabic words for "ammonium nitrate", "detonator", "box cutter", "multi-engine level flight training" possibly cost ?

Of course, "the falafel is about ready to go into the fryer" and "you need the correct proportion of garlic with your hummus" is certain to be misinterpreted in emails and text messages.

I'm waiting for one of the folks in "Homeland" to click on a "sponsored link" for one of the words/phrases above, so they can transact business with one of the CIA's 72 virgins.



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