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http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/1097/ijge/gj-7.htm
"KEEP BIG BROTHER'S HANDS OFF THE INTERNET
By Senator John Ashcroft
Republican, Missouri
Chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs,
Foreign Commerce and Tourism
[Senator Ashcroft takes issue with administration views on the Internet
and the use of encryption technology.] "
"The Clinton administration would like the Federal government to have
the capability to read any international or domestic computer
communications. The FBI wants access to decode, digest, and discuss
financial transactions, personal e-mail, and proprietary information
sent abroad -- all in the name of national security. To accomplish this,
President Clinton would like government agencies to have the keys for
decoding all exported U.S. software and Internet communications.
This proposed policy raises obvious concerns about Americans' privacy,
in addition to tampering with the competitive advantage that our U.S.
software companies currently enjoy in the field of encryption
technology. Not only would Big Brother be looming over the shoulders of
international cyber-surfers, but the administration threatens to render
our state-of-the-art computer software engineers obsolete and unemployed.
There is a concern that the Internet could be used to commit crimes and
that advanced encryption could disguise such activity. However, we do
not provide the government with phone jacks outside our homes for
unlimited wiretaps. Why, then, should we grant government the Orwellian
capability to listen at will and in real time to our communications
across the Web?
The protections of the Fourth Amendment are clear. The right to
protection from unlawful searches is an indivisible American value. Two
hundred years of court decisions have stood in defense of this
fundamental right. The state's interest in effective crime-fighting
should never vitiate the citizens' Bill of Rights."
"The administration's interest in all e-mail is a wholly unhealthy
precedent, especially given this administration's track record on FBI
files and IRS snooping. Every medium by which people communicate can be
subject to exploitation by those with illegal intentions. Nevertheless,
this is no reason to hand Big Brother the keys to unlock our e-mail
diaries, open our ATM records, read our medical records, or translate
our international communications.
Additionally, the full potential of the Internet will never be realized
without a system that fairly protects the interests of those who use the
Internet for their businesses, own copyrighted material, deliver that
material via the Internet, or individual users. The implications here
are far-reaching, with impacts that touch individual users, companies,
libraries, universities, teachers, and students."
"KEEP BIG BROTHER'S HANDS OFF THE INTERNET
By Senator John Ashcroft
Republican, Missouri
Chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs,
Foreign Commerce and Tourism
[Senator Ashcroft takes issue with administration views on the Internet
and the use of encryption technology.] "
"The Clinton administration would like the Federal government to have
the capability to read any international or domestic computer
communications. The FBI wants access to decode, digest, and discuss
financial transactions, personal e-mail, and proprietary information
sent abroad -- all in the name of national security. To accomplish this,
President Clinton would like government agencies to have the keys for
decoding all exported U.S. software and Internet communications.
This proposed policy raises obvious concerns about Americans' privacy,
in addition to tampering with the competitive advantage that our U.S.
software companies currently enjoy in the field of encryption
technology. Not only would Big Brother be looming over the shoulders of
international cyber-surfers, but the administration threatens to render
our state-of-the-art computer software engineers obsolete and unemployed.
There is a concern that the Internet could be used to commit crimes and
that advanced encryption could disguise such activity. However, we do
not provide the government with phone jacks outside our homes for
unlimited wiretaps. Why, then, should we grant government the Orwellian
capability to listen at will and in real time to our communications
across the Web?
The protections of the Fourth Amendment are clear. The right to
protection from unlawful searches is an indivisible American value. Two
hundred years of court decisions have stood in defense of this
fundamental right. The state's interest in effective crime-fighting
should never vitiate the citizens' Bill of Rights."
"The administration's interest in all e-mail is a wholly unhealthy
precedent, especially given this administration's track record on FBI
files and IRS snooping. Every medium by which people communicate can be
subject to exploitation by those with illegal intentions. Nevertheless,
this is no reason to hand Big Brother the keys to unlock our e-mail
diaries, open our ATM records, read our medical records, or translate
our international communications.
Additionally, the full potential of the Internet will never be realized
without a system that fairly protects the interests of those who use the
Internet for their businesses, own copyrighted material, deliver that
material via the Internet, or individual users. The implications here
are far-reaching, with impacts that touch individual users, companies,
libraries, universities, teachers, and students."
