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A comment on Message encryption a 'problem' – UK home secretary. Parent comment

Re:Message encryption a 'problem' – UK home secretary by zebrafish on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @09:54AM (#14900576)
I think the strongest argument for an American audience who is unfamiliar with technology is that encryption should be included under second amendment rights.

"Guns don't hurt people, people hurt people", "blaming the manufacturer for the actions of the operator", "even if we ban them, bad guys will still use them", etc.

If the right to bear arms is defined as the right to protection against totalitarian government I would think that encryption falls into that bucket.

Maybe we should get the NRA involved in this argument...

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Re:Message encryption a 'problem' – UK home secretary by jff on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @11:44AM (#14901929)
Strong crypto used to be considered 'arms'; export was forbidden under ITAR: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_...

If one accepts that part of the intent of the Second Amendment was to allow citizens to defend themselves against a tyrannical government (but please, let's not start the usual argument about asymmetric warfare), strong encryption capabilities would certainly be an important component of that in the modern era.

But that's just my stance, as someone who likes guns and crypto.

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Re:Message encryption a 'problem' – UK home secretary by gargravarr on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @10:00AM (#14900651)
As predicted by Randall Munroe some years ago: https://xkcd.com/504/
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Re:Message encryption a 'problem' – UK home secretary by zebrafish on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @10:47AM (#14901166)
Granted, guns have serial numbers and there is a list of registered owners. My argument falls apart there.
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Re:Message encryption a 'problem' – UK home secretary by Zak on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @12:53PM (#14902776)
In most of the US, no registration or license is required to legally own a gun, and the Federal government is barred from attempting to create a registry.
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Re:Message encryption a 'problem' – UK home secretary by eric_h on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @06:27PM (#14906027)
They literally can't even use computers to match weapons to owners. It's all on paper.
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Re:Message encryption a 'problem' – UK home secretary by freehunter on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @11:42AM (#14901904)
Legal guns have serial numbers and legal gun owners are registered. My grandpa has a house full of guns with no official registration.

I wouldn't look to that as an example of a well-functioning regulation system.

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