>>>>> "IC" == Ian Clarke <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
IC> Your hysteria over this "security risk" is based around what I
IC> can only assume was an incorrect understanding of the aims of
IC> this project on your part, and I don't see why we need to
IC> start singing and dancing about it just because you have
IC> learned something new which everyone else should have been
IC> aware of within minutes of reading any one of a number of
IC> descriptions of Freenet available on the website.
You're absolutely right.
When I first read about Freenet, I thought, "Yeah, there's a lot of
stuff that would leave my ass hanging out in the wind, but getting
caught for it by the cops would be entrapment, and the design of
Freenet would give me plausible deniability in a court of law."
I have only realized in the last couple of days that I can get a lot
of hassle from people who aren't even remotely cops or lawyers, and
where little or no due process of law is going to happen. Although
this may be obvious to you, it is a new perspective for me.
IC> I am in favour of being completely open about what Freenet can
IC> and cannot do, in fact, I do believe I suggested the creation
IC> of a webpage to address exactly this issue not 2 weeks ago. I
IC> am well aware of the importance of not selling false promises
IC> to people who may be in dangerous situations. The best way to
IC> avoid this is total honesty and openness.
Cool. That is exactly the right thing, and I commend you for it.
IC> What I will not do is characterize this as a flaw in Freenet's
IC> design, since any design is judged by its ability to meet
IC> stated goals (in Freenet's case, to provide anonymity to
IC> creators and producers of information, NOT to make it
IC> impossible for anyone to discover that your are running a
IC> Freenet node at all).
...NOR to protect node runners in much of any way (not a criticism,
just a restatement -- correct me if I'm way off). I think that's
perfectly fine.
However, on the most superficial level, design goals aside, a possible
future is that someone can download a program from freenetproject.org,
run it on their computer, and 2-3 months down the road they'll get a
letter from their ISP saying their service has been turned off. This
is a -risk- for the node runner, even if it's not design flaw or a
failure to meet goals. (They also have a risk of electrocuting
themselves by sticking their finger in the power supply.)
IC> I must say your alarmist posts on the subject in the last few
IC> days (<paraphrase>Freenet is broken, I am going to tell all of
IC> my friends not to use it</paraphrase>) are not helping.
Ian, I'm being alarmist because I'm alarmed. I'll be very, very happy
if I turn out to be wrong and this MediaEnforcer company goes nowhere.
HOWEVER, let me tell you a story: one of the Pigdog Journal
contributors, Ragboy, runs a small ISP in Austin, TX. He just got a
cease-and-desist letter from a similar outfit to copyright.net
demanding that he disconnect 200 of his users who were using Hotline
to trade some mp3 files. Now he's stuck between a rock and a hard
place -- stick up for his users for doing something illegal, or cave
in and give the rotten lawyers their way. I don't envy him.
I think he's going to stick with it, but I'm not sure. I probably
wouldn't risk my business for the rights of pimply teenagers to get
free Kidd Rock songs, so I'll be impressed if he does.
There are tons of other small ISPs out there that I don't want to see
in the same situation. I know most of them will not stick. It's just a
sad fact.
IC> Within the constraints of what I have said above, I am more
IC> than happy to provide a detailed examination of this issue -
IC> but any solution should be classified as an extension of
IC> Freenet's current aims, not a "security fix".
How about just, "This is a risk you run by running Freenet"?
~Mr. Bad
--
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/\____/\ Mr. Bad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
\ / Pigdog Journal | http://pigdog.org/ | *Stay*Real*Bad*
| (X \x)
( ((**) "If it's not bad, don't do it.
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