IP: Privada, Identity Escrow?

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> From: Austin Hill <austin () zeroknowledge com>
> To: "'apowell () freedomforum org'" <apowell () freedomforum org>,
>         "'farber () cis upenn edu'" <farber () cis upenn edu>
>
>
> The News.Com and ZDnet articles seem to miss that this is a privacy system
> based on Identity escrow scheme, whereby Privada keeps track of your
> information and provides it in the case of warrants.
>
> NYTimes reports,
>
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/08/biztech/articles/16data.html
>
> > Web Incognito differs from other anonymity software in two
> > important ways. It covers all Internet activity, not just Web
> > browsing or e-mail, for instance. And the identity it protects
> > can be shared with police officers who have appropriate
> > warrants.
> >
> > "Our service is for protecting the privacy of consumers, not for
> > hiding criminals or criminal activities," said Barbara
> > Bellissimo, Privada's chief executive. While she said the
> > company expected to take some heat from privacy rights groups,
> > she added, "We felt it would be irresponsible not to give law
> > enforcement agencies the information if they have valid
> > warrants."
>
> This of course ignores the growing trend of using civil discovery motions
> (Scientology/WorldNet; Raytheon/Yahoo; ITEX/Yahoo; Philips/Yahoo) to get
> access to this data without having to go through the trouble of burden of
> proof.
>
> -Austin
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
> Austin Hill                                   Zero-Knowledge Systems Inc.
> President                                                Montreal, Quebec
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