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The silver lining of all these entirely misguided and ineffective laws is that it's going to push the non-"terrorist"[0], law abiding, good people towards Tor a

The silver lining of all these entirely misguided and ineffective laws is that it's going to push the non-"terrorist"[0], law abiding, good people towards Tor and other secure communications, inherently strengthening them. The terrorists and pedophiles are already on there anyway. And the powers that be can't do anything about it. We seriously need more computer scientists in politics, or even better, we need computer sciences and technical literacy to be requirements for anyone getting a college degree, no matter what they're studying. [0]: terrorist in quotes because I don't believe in the word. Terrorism is doublespeak, and it always has been.

irixusr 12y ago
There was a recent article on HN on how government is now actively harassing tor exit nodes.
- nickysielicki 12y ago
  that's an issue with the state of tor, not an issue with tor itself. It can and will improve.
rayiner 12y ago
What does understanding how computers work have to do with your political views about how people should be able to use computers?
- nickysielicki 12y ago
  I'm giving these politicians the benefit of the doubt and assuming they truly believe these laws could be effective, and that they truly want what's best for their country. But these laws obviously are not going to be effective. The people we have to worry about, the extremists, the perverts, the druggies, they're not able to be controlled anyway. What good is a law that locks someone's bank account and takes down someone's website when you don't know who they are and you don't know where their server is? The point is: They're misinformed if they think this is actually going to thwart terrorism, or extremism, or communications of anyone who is actually discussing sensitive things. And they need to be educated, so that they can understand that.
Canada 12y ago
I'm in complete agreement with you that this will provide much needed motivation for adoption of technical security. I have to wonder though, does technical literacy or computer science training really cause a person to respect basic civil liberties? The people who built the mass surveillance apparatus must be just as much a part of the technical community as anyone here.
- coldpie 12y ago
  It would help avoid the stupid nonsense calls for "backdoors to encryption," because people with such an education would realize that "backdoors to encryption" is identical to "no encryption whatsoever."
badloginagain 12y ago
| [0]: terrorist in quotes because I don't believe in the word. Terrorism is doublespeak, and it always has been. Under C-51, you just broke the law if you are Canadian.
- nickysielicki 12y ago
  heh, what part?
  - totony 12y ago
    The part where a judge can decide you did

irixusr 12y ago

There was a recent article on HN on how government is now actively harassing tor exit nodes.

nickysielicki 12y ago
that's an issue with the state of tor, not an issue with tor itself. It can and will improve.

rayiner 12y ago

What does understanding how computers work have to do with your political views about how people should be able to use computers?

nickysielicki 12y ago
I'm giving these politicians the benefit of the doubt and assuming they truly believe these laws could be effective, and that they truly want what's best for their country. But these laws obviously are not going to be effective. The people we have to worry about, the extremists, the perverts, the druggies, they're not able to be controlled anyway. What good is a law that locks someone's bank account and takes down someone's website when you don't know who they are and you don't know where their server is? The point is: They're misinformed if they think this is actually going to thwart terrorism, or extremism, or communications of anyone who is actually discussing sensitive things. And they need to be educated, so that they can understand that.

Canada 12y ago

I'm in complete agreement with you that this will provide much needed motivation for adoption of technical security. I have to wonder though, does technical literacy or computer science training really cause a person to respect basic civil liberties? The people who built the mass surveillance apparatus must be just as much a part of the technical community as anyone here.

coldpie 12y ago
It would help avoid the stupid nonsense calls for "backdoors to encryption," because people with such an education would realize that "backdoors to encryption" is identical to "no encryption whatsoever."

badloginagain 12y ago

| [0]: terrorist in quotes because I don't believe in the word. Terrorism is doublespeak, and it always has been. Under C-51, you just broke the law if you are Canadian.

nickysielicki 12y ago
heh, what part?
- totony 12y ago
  The part where a judge can decide you did