3 ms·
PGP (and all encryption schemes that offered key lengths greater than 40-bits) were banned under the State Department ITAR regulations. These are the same regu
by steve19 13y ago
PGP (and all encryption schemes that offered key lengths greater than 40-bits) were banned under the State Department ITAR regulations.
These are the same regulations that prohibit the export of 3D model files over the internet if the model is a weapon or a part of a weapon.
The 3D models are banned because they are "technical documentation" (blueprints, manufacturing information). I would argue that the source code to encryption (a "weapon" according to the regulations) also counts are technical documentation. Therefor I think that printing the source code was just as illegal as sending the source code (or compiled software) over the internet.
Try exporting the blueprints or software source for a Gen III+ night vision and see how quickly you are picked up by the FBI.
I can't help but think this whole book thing was more designed to shame the government into letting it be exported, or for a judge to declare that the regulations were unconstitutional, or the guys who did it were misinformed about the law.
- yew 13y agoThe theory was that this was protected as free speech. There's a very strong precedent for the courts protecting arbitrary printed text. It's difficult to say one way or the other whether it would have held up in the long run because the government backed out of prosecuting without further comment. There were similar issues with DeCSS, the various 'illegal primes', etc . . .
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]