We welcome the opportunity to work with industry to design a more versatile, less expensive system. Such a key escrow system would be implementable in software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof, would not rely upon a classified algorithm, would be voluntary, and would be exportable.
Predictor: Gore, Al
Prediction, in context:In the August 1, 1994, edition of Computer-Mediated Communications Magazine, the article, “Jacking in from the ‘Where’s the Middle Ground?’ Port” by Brock N. Meeks, presents responses about the Clinton administration’s Clipper Chip. In a letter from Vice President Al Gore to Rep. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) Gore unveils a compromise on the Clipper clip. Meeks writes: ”Gore’s letter buys the Administration time to find acceptable alternatives to Clipper. ÔAs you know, the Administration disagrees with you on the extent to which existing controls are harming U.S. industry in the short run,’ Gore says in his letter to Cantwell, ‘and the extent to which their immediate relaxation would affect national security. For that reason we have supported a five-month Presidential study.Õ That study, Gore promises, will reassess the entire encryption program by entering into a ‘new phase of cooperation among government, industry representatives and privacy advocates with a goal of trying to develop a key escrow encryption system that will provide strong encryption, be acceptable to computer users worldwide, and address our national needs as well.’ É NIST is currently heading up the effort to find these alternatives. It’s working with several ad hoc groups to find solutions to government controlled key escrow agents, while trying to find a way to allow private encryption schemes to proliferate but not at the expense of national security or law enforcement. Gore backs this up in his letter: ÔWe welcome the opportunity to work with industry to design a more versatile, less expensive system. Such a key escrow system would be implementable in software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof, would not rely upon a classified algorithm, would be voluntary, and would be exportable.'”
Biography:Al Gore, a former U.S. senator and vice president, made the future of technology an important part of his political agenda and was a leader in technology policymaking in the years before and during the Clinton Administration. Internet pioneers said his support had significant impact in the building of the U.S. network. (Legislator/Politician/Lawyer.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1994
Topic of prediction: Communication
Subtopic: Security/Encryption
Name of publication: Computer-Mediated Communication
Title, headline, chapter name: Jacking in from the ‘Where’s the Middle Ground?’ Port
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.december.com/cmc/mag/1994/aug/meeks.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne