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Conspiracy theory: Whoever is behind this doesn't really want every company to rewrite all their software with back doors. Instead, a 'reasonable' request wil
by awakeasleep 16y ago
Conspiracy theory: Whoever is behind this doesn't really want every company to rewrite all their software with back doors.
Instead, a 'reasonable' request will be substituted after the initial uproar.
- zacharypinter 16y agoSomebody's been reading Robert Cialdini.
- sausagefeet 16y ago+1 because I got it.
- brlewis 16y agoThat's no conspiracy theory. A conspiracy involves secret collaboration. The well-known negotiation technique of anchoring is all that theory is. It seems plausible to me.
- awakeasleep 16y agoDo you have any idea where it could be leading? I've been thinking about it on and off for the past few days but nothing comes to mind, I don't have enough context to form any opinion. I'd sure love to hear what Schneier thinks about it.
- brlewis 16y agoI don't know where it's leading, or if it's even leading anywhere. For some people, gaining power over others is an end unto itself, not a means leading to some other end.
- awakeasleep 16y agoI meant, what 'reasonable' thing will our gvernment ask for after being rebuked for this outrageous request
- andreyf 16y agoAnchoring involves defining the value of something where it was previously undefined. What you describe is simply an extreme initial offer. You're right that it isn't necessarily sinister.
- brlewis 16y agoAn extreme initial offer manipulates the "anchoring and adjustment heuristic" defined at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchoring http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchoring
- josh33 16y agoThe Overton Window Concept is a potential anchoring case for this law: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window
- dasil003 16y agoOne might even say collusion ;)
- joe_the_user 16y agoI've heard the argument that this is an effort to get some kind of "middle ground" before. The problem is there can be no middle ground here - only the illusion of one. Either law enforcement has the right to do X or they don't - if they are allowed to require a backdoor on skype, how could they not be allowed to require a backdoor anywhere? The real scenario would be legislation justified with the argument "we want unlimited legal power but we promise to use it just a little" - and this kind of promise always turns out to be bogus.