Rather then encrypting mailing list and stuff like that, the
real solution for "sensitive info" is for EVERYBODY especially
people who share a lot of sensitive info with each other, to
get themselves PGP keys. Learn how to use PGP or some other
form of encryption you will be better off for it, trust me,
once this happens, then you can choose who YOU would like to
send secure info to. So in other words, if I want to send the
FMR instructions to Brian I can encrypt the info and send it.
I actually wished he had a key while he was away because then
I could send him a private message to any account, just in case
he couldn't log into soda. PGP is abount sending secure information
to friends and others, information that is private and that you
don't want others to read. I would consider it rude to post an
encrypted message to a public list unless it was an absolute
emergency (i.e. the Thought Police are at my door, and they are
going to take me away).
The desimination of FMR info should be based on a personal
system of trust, PGP is some software that helps you keep the
integrity of the communications between TRUSTED members, it is
NOT a substitute for that trust and if used as such, will
quickly disapoint you, with potentially disasterous
consequences for some people. (It's better to assume that
"They" are listening and choose your words, then to believe that
because you have encrypted your infomation it is safe for you
to incriminate yourself and others.) With PGP, if the keys are
not handled in a proper manner, it is no better than any normal
private e-mail list. The only reason that I would advocate
encryption of the FMR instructions is FOR PRACTICE i.e. (danger
paranoid statements approaching :) in case the day comes when we
will really need to send information that we don't want Them to
know. The FMR info is not precious, we don't have much to
loose except the party getting busted. But if we did encrypt
the data and use that as a method of distribution to TRUSTED
roots of the FMR phone tree (which could change from time to
time, then If the FMRs are mysteriously busted it would mean
one or more of the following:
1) One of the TRUSTED is an informant or cop.
2) One or more of the people on the phone tree (only people
who meet visually) are informants or cops.
3) one of the above persons told the info to an informant or cop.
4) The cops "get lucky"
5) The promoters leak the info to someone who knows or who is an
informant or cop.
6) The cops can "break" the PGP code (a SERIOUS problem for cypherpunks)
It is my assumption that 1 -5 are the most likely, and of 1 - 5
3 - 5 are things that we have absolutely NO control over.
So PGP will only help us to enforce 1 and 2, I don't know if all the
trouble of going through the motions of PGP are worth it except
for the FUN and mystique of it all, it might just draw more attention
and make the authorities think that there is something more to it
than it really is. I don't think this is a good idea. I think if
individuals want to use PGP to send secure messages whether it is FMR
info or resumes that should be between them. I think we should
take this discussion offline (oh oh elitism strikes :) but everone
knows what I mean by that, the people who have access to Future FMR
info will I'm sure pledge to make sure that the info is distributed
in a fair, secure and hopefully timely manner. Those of you who wish
to find the Full Moon Rave, look to the skies, keep your ears peeled
and make friends, it's not hard.
- G
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