[87164] in Cypherpunks
Re: Exports and criminalizing crypto
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Peter Trei)
Fri Sep 26 09:54:15 1997
From: "Peter Trei" <trei@process.com>
To: aba@dcs.ex.ac.uk, cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Date: Fri, 26 Sep 1997 09:16:25 -6
CC: trei@process.com
Reply-To: "Peter Trei" <trei@process.com>
[lot of snipping]
Adam Back <aba@dcs.ex.ac.uk> writes:
>
> John Smith <jsmith58@hotmail.com> writes:
> >
> > That's easy for you to say, there in England. You don't have these
> > export controls, right?
>
> We have different export controls. You can export what you want
> electronically right now. And, so I hear, the exporter is defined as
> the person who downloads from your web site, so lots of hits from Iraq
> is no problem. Start to talk about tangible things and you require a
> license.
> Adam
This is my favorite example of the Kafka-esque absurdity of
export controls
From England, I can export strong crypto electronically with no
problem. The same crypto, printed as source code, is restricted.
From the US, I can export printed strong crypto with no problem.
The same crypto, in electronic form, is export restricted.
Both sides claim to have a rational, well-thought out policy.
Peter Trei
