

Ask HN: In which country our privacy is above the Big Brother's curiosity - longtimehner

I have an idea, actually, I already have a well working prototype of a software.<p>It is a very simple idea and implementation which will make lawful interception impossible!<p>When application is published, it will grab the attention and flames overnight (and if it will be released as non free, say $3-5), it will probably generate millions of dollars within several weeks.<p>Point is, our government (US), as well as the EU would not like it, and would surely do anything to shutdown the business, block the software, and freeze the bank accounts.<p>Given that, I have come up with two strategies, each of which have it advantages and disadvantages.<p>One is to release the app in a light version, let us call it an extensible engine, that later on everyone would be able to write extension/modules using a simple XML structure.<p>In this way, the engine itself will not be a threat, as it does nothing `illegal[1]` or inappropriate yet, it will take more time for the application to catch.<p>The other way is to setup a company in a "liberal" country where governments cannot override human rights automatically and operate from there.<p>I do not wish to have terrorists used this, but I am sure they would consider using it just the same as anyone of us, simple, ordinary people would.<p>[1] The app will not perform any illegal operation in any case, but will build a stronger wall around our privacy.
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michael_dorfman
It's hard to dig through the hype here to see what you are really talking
about.

What does your application do, exactly? It makes "lawful interception" of
_what_ impossible? Is it somehow more "interception-proof" than, say, PGP?

If what you are talking about is some new encryption protocol or security
scheme, then the only chance you have of getting any adoption whatsoever is to
publish the source code, so that respected security researchers can sign off
on it. The recent case of Haystack should make that pretty clear.

But do you have any realistic reason to believe that the app you have
prototyped fills a market need so well that you think you can sell several
hundred thousand copies in a few weeks? That sounds like hubris to me, as does
the claim that the US government (and the EU) would "do anything" to shut down
your business.

Your throwaway account name indicates you are a long-time HNer; as you no
doubt know, there are some very respected security professionals active here.
Why not get in touch with one of them directly?

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longtimehner
perhaps you are right, I have been exaggerating about its success,but yet,
this is not the issue, I mean, for the sake of the conversation let's say this
will be distributed for free.

My dilemma lies somewhere else, in the zone of what is right or wrong. Would
it be right to release such a tool which will give people the ability to
encrypt data in a way authorities would not be able to decrypt, even if they
have access (tap) to the providers switches.

I am using standard encryption suites, yet its the power lies in the
application which is currently compiled and working on almost all of the well
known desktop, servers and mobile platforms.

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michael_dorfman
From an ethical perspective, I still don't see the issue.

You ask: _Would it be right to release such a tool which will give people the
ability to encrypt data in a way authorities would not be able to decrypt,
even if they have access (tap) to the providers switches._

Such ability already exists-- for example, by using PGP to encrypt their
information prior to sending.

Do you really think you're doing something that any evildoer with a CS
education couldn't hack together themselves?

Seriously: if you have a prototype of a security app, send it to some serious
people in the security community, and ask them to take a look. Before that is
done, the rest is moot.

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tzury
I would have gone for the first option, as well as making it all free and open
source, and searching for a better and safer ways to generate money.

