Clipper and the new digital telephony bills are a first step into what Orwell should have called 1994. It is the start of a slide. I consider the digital telephony bill the most dangerous … I see the slide ending with more and more government intervention in our private conversations. It will be the equivalent in cyberspace of having mikes in our living and bedrooms.
Predictor: Farber, David J.
Prediction, in context:David Farber made the following remarks during a 1994 online forum on electronic privacy and the Clipper Chip, sponsored by Cowles Business Media’s Mobile Office Online: ”I believe that Clipper and the new digital telephony bills are a first step into what Orwell should have called 1994. It is the start of a slide. I consider the digital telephony bill the most dangerous … I see the slide ending with more and more government intervention in our private conversations. It will be the equivalent in cyberspace of having mikes in our living and bedrooms. I don’t think the Clinton/Gore Administration will do that but they are setting the stage for some future administration to do it to us.”
Biography:David Farber was the recipient of the 1995 ACM Sigcomm Award for lifelong contributions to the computer communications field. He has worked at the University of Pennsylvania, managing research in high-speed networking. In 2000, he served as chief technologist at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. He also directed the Center for Communications and Information Sciences and Policy. In 1997, Upside magazine named him one of its Elite 100 visionaries of high-tech. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)
Date of prediction: August 17, 1994
Topic of prediction: Communication
Subtopic: Security/Encryption
Name of publication: Mobile Office Online's Open Press Conference
Title, headline, chapter name: Electronic Privacy
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www2.cddc.vt.edu/eff/pub/Misc/Publications/David_Farber/aol_privacy_conf.transcript
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Goodrich, Barbara J.