[liberationtech] to encrypt or not to encrypt?

[ale fernandez]

Hi,

On Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:51:01 +0200
phryk <phryk at phryk.net> wrote:

> On Fri, 21 Jun 2013 11:55:57 -0400
> Nadim Kobeissi <nadim at nadim.cc> wrote:
> 
> > The solution to this is to make encryption more and more widely used.
> > By increasing the number of people with access to encryption
> > technology for their communications, we dilute this threat.
> 
> My thought exactly, just encrypt ALL THE THINGS and let those people
> deal with humungous amounts of data, most of which will be completely
> useless even if decrypted.

There is another ingredient to all this context of crisis and collapse: things are getting desperate in some cases where for a generation, people lived within a now dying mindset, so there is a lot of catharsis for change in the way we use data and networks just as there is with this cultural change and time of mass protests. 

Cities, neighbourhoods and regions can concievably plan or cultivate separate internets, or geographically dispersed interest groups can choose a platform or technology amongst the more secure or private/anonymous and work with that. 

Here in Catalunya we have the fast growing community run neutral wifi/cable network Guifi.net which can work as a separate internet and disconnect from it whilst still running services that users can connect to, for example. The key I think is to have locally funded data and networking services like data storage and transfer, maps, social network software and data storage or search, which also helps an area be resilient against google, facebook & co's possible demise, or changes to legislation or of their business plans. 

I think there are 2 choices in planning for security in a more localised economy/community: you can create a walled garden within your network/community and keep a really tight control on who you let in, and what local processes or activities might work towards keeping that system going. 

Or you can work in a trust network of some kind, with each person or group gauging what and how much information to exchange between different networks.

I wonder if the best way to enable more widespread use, alongside things like cryptoparties would be the creation of a fund for improving the interfaces, effectiveness and usability of these crypto/distributed data tools?

Ale

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