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                Date: 2002-03-15
                 
                 
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      And let's not forget that this system isn't hardwired like it will be in  
Britain and other nations that don't enjoy as many protections  
against the state as we do in the 'good ole USA'.  At the least the  
FBI has to make some effort. 
 
As I pointed out to the audience, some of whom were sitting on the  
floor as every seat was taken, that "carnivore" really only effects a  
relatively small number of individuals as the bureau only has less  
than 20 machines in operation.  I also wondered out loud what the  
chances are that an ISP would tell their customers of the added  
bonus of having "carnivore" installed this month for their safety and  
convenience.  Next to zero I should think. 
 
As I thought of "carnivore" I reflexively mentioned that the real  
threat doesn't lie with the FBI, but rather with the filtering that goes  
on in our schools and libraries.  Censorware has got to be one of  
the most Orwellian concepts yet implemented.  Not only does the  
software not work as advertised, but when it does work it frequently  
filters out information of a political nature.  We should take a long  
hard look at allowing public school teachers and library bureaucrats  
to decide which thoughts students are "allowed" to think.   
Whatever happened to free inquiry? As currently set up most  
filtering applications won't even give students free access to  
publications as benign and factual as an Encyclopedia.  Students  
all across the country are being suspended and expelled for  
engaging in speech, having an unpopular opinion, or drawing a non- 
state approved item such as a gun in any form. 
 
But as I thought of the Internet in the great scheme of things I didn't  
and don't find the various governmental snoop programs to be that  
much of a worry.  The Internet is a flood of freedom, and despite  
the dire warnings and absurd inflations of leviathan power, the  
Internet has made us more free and given the state less power.  
And don't forget that you can and should use encryption if you're  
really worried about prying eyes. 
 
The state now has a real dilemma.  They can participate in a global  
free market economy using the Internet or they can shoot  
themselves in the head by restricting it's use.  Once technology is  
out of the bag, the genie can't be put back into the bottle, that is  
unless you want to create a third world nation for yourself. 
 
 
 
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edited by  
published on: 2002-03-15 
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