Americans have two dichotomous views held exactly at the same time. One view is, “None of your damn business, a man’s home is his castle. What I do is my business.” And the other is, “What have you got to hide? If you didn’t have anything to hide, you wouldn’t be using cryptography.” There’s a deep suspicion of people who want to keep things secret … [Cryptoanarchy] will be done technologically. It’s already happening.
Predictor: May, Timothy C.
Prediction, in context:In a 1993 article for Wired magazine, Steven Levy writes about encryption issues, quoting cryptoactivist and Cypherpunk Tim May. Levy writes: ”Tim May admits that if the whole cryptography matter were put to a vote among his fellow Americans, his side would lose. ‘Americans have two dichotomous views held exactly at the same time,’ he claims. ‘One view is, “None of your damn business, a man’s home is his castle. What I do is my business.” And the other is, “What have you got to hide? If you didn’t have anything to hide, you wouldn’t be using cryptography.” There’s a deep suspicion of people who want to keep things secret.’ There’s also a legitimate fear that with the anonymous systems proposed by crypto activists, illegal activities could be conducted more easily, and crucial messages our government now easily intercepts might never be noticed. But, as May says, these fears are ultimately irrelevant. Crypto Anarchy, he believes, is inevitable, despite the forces marshaled against it. ‘I don’t see any chance that it will be done politically,’ says the Cypherpunk. ‘[But] it will be done technologically. It’s already happening.'”
Biography:Timothy C. May was a self-described “techno-anarchist” in the 1990s and author of “The Crypto Anarchist Manifesto.” He is a co-founder of the Cypherpunks, with Eric Hughes and John Gilmore. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)
Date of prediction: May 1, 1993
Topic of prediction: Communication
Subtopic: Security/Encryption
Name of publication: Wired
Title, headline, chapter name: Crypto Rebels
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/1.02/crypto.rebels_pr.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney