X-Loop: openpgp.net
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> an economy based on "nyms" is a pipe dream. No human has ever purchased
> a car, or purchased a home, or taken out a loan, or started a business,
> or gotten a job by using an anonymous "nym". Any significant economic
> transaction, in both the real world and the virtual, requires
accountability,
Wow... did you ever buy something on the internet? Do you think that "George
Bush" has any meaning more than [EMAIL PROTECTED] ?
> and accountability is only engendered through identity, not anonymity.
> (the anarchists, I'm sure, will cringe, but it IS a sobering fact
> of this reality that we all live in)
You have forgot to define "accountability". I don't need to know who you are
to make a note "sold another Anarchist Cookbook, got $25". If you mean
something like "getting back to the buyer if the check bounces", then use
cash. If you mean something like "getting back to the seller if the
merchandise sucks, or doesn't arrive", then use trusted sellers, escrows
(and 100 other options, I'm sure).
> it seems a more appropriate use of cryptography to enhance privacy
> would be to make sure that any transaction I partake in is REALLY
> done by me.. identity theft is the worst privacy violation in this world,
> not IP logging...
Since there's no meaningful definition of "REALLY done by me"... You are a
nym, as far as I'm concerned; if I trust X, and X says "it's ok, the
merchandise has arrived, you can pay him", then I'll pay you. I don't need
to know your name, address, or SSN for that.
> privacy IS NOT synonymous w/ anonymity (again, the anarchists will
> cringe, but it's another sobering fact of reality), but rather with
> controlling the personal information that the world DOES come to know
about
> you..
You can't control that information. You don't even have the RIGHT to control
information that exists in other people's heads (or computers, or files).
> Can ZKS/Privada disclose to me the personally identifying information
> Web sites (and other corporations, organizations, etc) have collected
> about me?
Can? Yes. May? Yes, unless you have a contract with them that says
otherwise.
> Can I find out for what purposes this information is being
> used?
Probably, with some effort.
> Can I make sure it is only being used for the reason I disclosed,
> and not for other reasons I didn't approve?
I doubt that. In fact, I think it's impossible. In fact, I like that it's
impossible - it's THEIR information now, and you shouldn't have the ability
to prevent someone from using something THEY own. (Unless, once again, you
have contracted otherwise with them.)
> Can I make sure this
> information is accurate and consistent?
Same here.
> Can I delete my personal
> info from a corporate database if I find they have been misuing it??
Doubt it. If by "misuse" you mean "they broke a contract", you should have
the ability to sue them (or otherwise deter this from happening). However,
if you mean something like "I haven't told them anything, but now I found
out that they gave they information to someone who's eyes I don't like",
then I hope you cannot do this.
> Can ZKS/Privada stop the phone calls at 7am from my credit card
> company, who just "wants to make sure the personal info they have
> about me is correct, oh, and my the way, can we interest you in
> a balance transfer from your Discover card while we have you on the
line?"?
I doubt it. I'm sure this was a rethorical question :)
> I'm a newbie to the whole field of encryption, so please enlighten
> me if I'm missing something about "zerk-knowledge" proofs...
This has nothing to do with encryption.
Mark
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