On Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 02:22:51AM +0200, Moshe Leibovitch wrote: > I'm wonder if the Israeli law allows you to > encrypt your communications over public channels. > I wouldn't shock me to find out the even this discussion is illegal :)
There was a law that permitted encryption by private parties only if you declared your intention to encrypt to a specific government agency with enough notice (actual time specified, but I don't remember it), for them to refuse you permission. The law was changed or dropped when WiFi was really allowed here (November 2003). Until that time it was limited to 1 or two channels without encryption. I remember at that time trying to download the Linux drivers for a 3Com WiFi USB dongle and being redirected to a page saying that 3Com would not not allow me to download the drivers as they contained encryption and it was illegal in my country. A few months later they changed their code and fixed it. Note that the dongle, complete with a Windows driver CD, was sold to me legally by the Bug Shoppe. I am not sure, but I think that the change to the law also allows https connections. I wonder how many people who panic at the FUD* accompanying the bill use a web based email service such as GMAIL or HOTMAIL or YAHOOMAIL where they routinely scan your email and "data mine" it. Of course your definition of what data mining yields may be very different than mine, see the Simpson's movie. :-) It's not just data mining email, one of the people on this list, and I won't name them if they wish to remain out of the discussion, around 4 years ago worked for a startup that almost produced a product that data mined real time communicaitons. The company failed before releasing their product beacuse the vulture capital fund beind them failed "when the bubble burst", but by now either the prinicpals behind the company or someone else has probably produced a similar product. Geoff. * As the old saying goes, "just because you are paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you". -- Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel [EMAIL PROTECTED] N3OWJ/4X1GM IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838 Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/ ================================================================= To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
