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

[S Moonesamy <[e-mail]>]

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