Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
Seagrams slams anonymity, misses Clue
Author: Phil Wolff Posted: 5/31/2000; 9:57:48 AM Topic: Seagrams slams anonymity, misses Clue Msg #: 17500 Prev/Next: 17499 / 17501
WeGo pointed me to some thoroughly chilling remarks by Edgar Bronfman, Jr., president and CEO of Seagram Company Ltd. He declared war on information sharing and anonymity. Time for strong, ubiquitous crypto.From Remarks As Prepared For Delivery by Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
Real Conference 2000, San Jose, California
May 26, 2000...
Let me now turn to my fifth point. We must restrict the anonymity behind which people hide to commit crimes. Anonymity must not be equated with privacy. As citizens, we have a right to privacy. We have no such right to anonymity.
Privacy is getting your e-mail address taken off of "spam" mailing lists; privacy is making sure some hacker doesn't have access to your social security number or your mother's maiden name. On line, privacy is assuring that what you do, so long as it is legal, is your own business and may not be exploited by others.
Anonymity, on the other hand, means being able to get away with stealing, or hacking, or disseminating illegal material on the Internet - and presuming the right that nobody should know who you are. There is no such right. This is nothing more than the digital equivalent of putting on a ski mask when you rob a bank.
Anonymity, disguised as privacy, is still anonymity, and it must not be used to strip others of their rights, including their right to privacy or their property rights. We need to create a standard that balances one's right to privacy with the need to restrict anonymity, which shelters illegal activity.
We cannot suggest that the ready and appropriate distinctions we make between privacy and anonymity in the physical world are irrelevant in the digital world. To do so would be to countenance anarchy. To do so would undermine the very basis of our civilized society.
Along the way he
- supports proprietary, tagged formats.
- advocates criminal prosecution for downloaders
- compares MP3 and Napster to mobsters inciting crime
- suggests support for what he might call an "artists' defense fund" to litigate
- compares music downloaders to "spies, pirates and pedophiles."
- intends to track down every thief by using technology and unique document tags. "Technology exists that can trace every Internet download".
What a way to treat your customers. "Get a clue".
There are responses to this message:
- Re: Seagrams slams anonymity, misses Clue, Paul Snively, 6/1/2000; 5:23:15 PM
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