20060216

privacy is a good thing people

so I was reading that skype uses a super complex (ie: never can tap in) voice encryption on calls made thru its network (265 bit - which is crazy). the journaliast from the g&m kept referring to this as a super scary thing - and very negative. here is an example:

"'It is a pretty secure form of communication, which if you're talking to your mistress you really appreciate, but if Al Qaeda is talking over Skype you have probably a different view,' said Monty Bannerman (aka looser go develop some other software - added by moose), chief executive of Verso Technologies Inc. His company makes equipment for Internet service providers, including software that can identify and block Skype calls."

they frame it like people use skype to be sneaky and bad. for me I use it to call my boyfriend (especially when traveling since all you need is an internet connection - and it's free!). which is what, i'm guessing, the vast majority of other user do too. plus I think that if a bad terrorist wants to keep things on the down low he'll find a way to do it, regardless of whether skype is secure.

I feel like emailing or calling that loose-bag Monty. I mean his company is actually making software to block skype calls --- geez I wonder why an ISP would want that software? maybe it's because it is telus or another telecom company, who wants to maintain their big fat phone monopoly. This seems like a major competition law issue --- Canada needs to step up, even though due to our vast size we are pretty slack with our competition policy. The gov't needs to realize that the current model of "communication" - especially in this day and age - needs to be rethought.

at northern voice, david sifry said that the one danger he saw ahead was network neutrality. if we keep allowing the telecom companies to dominate the industry and block out skype and make other preferential moves this will dramatically shape our biased-free web. I hate how they are trying to paint skype with a bad brush - why not focus on the fact that it hooks up people all over the world via phone or video for free! now that is something celebrate not be scared of.