Re: IAB Statement on Encryption and Mandatory Client-side Scanning of Content

[Paul Wouters <[e-mail]>]

On Sun, 10 Mar 2024, S Moonesamy wrote:

As for the question aimed at "the IETF" I will let the community
speak for itself. As for the question aimed at "Area Directors",
I guess you should send an email [e-mail] with your specific
ask.

Paul

> Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2024 12:14:54
> From: S Moonesamy <[e-mail]>
> Cc: Mark Nottingham <mnot=[e-mail]>
> To: Paul Wouters <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
> Subject: Re: IAB Statement on Encryption and Mandatory Client-side  Scanning
>     of Content
> 
> Hi Paul,
> At 10:33 AM 19-12-2023, Paul Wouters wrote:
>> And on top of that, the PGP lawsuit in the US in the 90's already showed 
>> that opensource code is the equivalent of free speech, so making opensource 
>> illegal constitutes making freedom of speech illegal.
>
> I am unfortunately not in the United States or else I might have made the 
> above argument.
>
>> Additionally, since people in other countries can legally write such 
>> modified opensource software, you would additionally need to ban all 
>> software (opensource or not) that doesn't have the backdoor/government 
>> reporting/filtering code. How would endusers even know this ? Eg they 
>> download chrome or Firefox and now they are a criminal ?
>
> There is some crypto at my location which most likely has a defect.  I may 
> write about it in future if I am free to do so.
>
> If I understood what you wrote correctly, the point is that the software 
> could be retrieved from other jurisdictions as it is easily available.  Is 
> there anyone from the IETF who would volunteer to testify in a criminal case 
> about that?
>
> In response to your question about end-users, I'd say that someone would have 
> to explain what could be going on.
>
>> Saying you approve of banning opensource is at best an unwise 
>> recommendation. And if one believes the IAB shouldn't make statements 
>> touching politics, I guess this counter statement fulfills all the same 
>> checkboxes for being inappropriate coming from our community ? It's a ….. 
>> paradox ?
>
> Many years ago, a person visited a location which is south of the Equator. 
> The person introduced himself/herself as a member of an IETF working group 
> and argued that the IETF was a threat.  Would such a statement be considered 
> as inappropriate?  For what it is worth, I politely provided some input on 
> the matter as I was in the room.
>
> Last year, someone asked me a question about some censorship.  I replied that 
> it was quite regrettable.
>
> As a comment about recommendations, there is a directive to do some Internet 
> filtering at my location.  Could an Area Director write to a government on 
> that matter? :-)
>
> Regards,
> S. Moonesamy 
>