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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 6/30/2020 7:11 PM, Bob Wilson wrote:<br>
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<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:f2fdeece-192d-03b5-701c-78f3247a76ca@math.wisc.edu">Re:
<br>
<blockquote type="cite" style="color: #000000;">Encryption has
never been regulated internally for almost all purposes. (Ham
radio can't use encryption, but that's not only just for radio,
but internationally it was. Even here, there are complexities
that I can't describe both succinctly and accurately.)
<br>
</blockquote>
From what I have read the rule against encryption for hams (such
as I am) was put in because around the time of WWI there was fear
people (not just hams, if they are in fact people) were leaking
information to Germany. Remember how much hatred of German emigres
there was, leading people to change their names and quit speaking
German where it had been the language spoken at home. I don't know
whether there would be much opposition to removing the prohibition
for hams now, but discussing that might lead us away into
politics...
</blockquote>
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<p>That is certainly how the French regulation of encryption
started. It was written during WW1, in very general terms, so as
to regulate the practice in any electronic communication. It was
only overridden in the 90's, when a fraction of the French
services realized that if enterprises could not encrypt their
data, then foreign powers such as America would take advantage of
that. And of course, shortly after the bans were lifted, the
French public started to hear a lot about pedophiles.</p>
<p>By the way, the protection of businesses is a very powerful
argument on the side of encryption. Weakening encryption now is
guaranteed to make securing these businesses harder, at a time
when they are under constant attacks from a variety of foreign
powers and criminal gangs. Plus, the defense of the businesses
cannot be separated from the defense of their employees, so the
argument extends to protecting private data and private
communications, not just business data and communications.</p>
<p>-- Christian Huitema<br>
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