David Farber has a brief column in IEEE Internet Computing online. It appears to be generally available -- no subscription required. "The United States has gone through a rollercoaster in the balance between individual freedoms and national safety throughout its history. As usual in a capitalistic democracy, profits, immigration, and other societal pressures have all factored in to the challenge. After the tragic attack on September the 11th, the Bush administration has called for, and received, increased powers to listen to our conversations, look at our e-mail, and see who and where we visit in cyberspace -- all with the stated intentions of protecting us from terrorists. Even prior to 9/11, repeated calls for increased powers for law enforcement resulted in ill-thought-out or rushed ideas such as Clipper -- the key escrow proposals of not many years ago -- and hastily adopted, potentially destabilizing schemes such as the Carnivore e-mail monitoring system. Now more than ever, the technical community has a vital role in maintaining the balance." Balancing Security and Liberty, by David Farber |
