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Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

businessweek.com

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Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#31

Post by T-R »

brown9-2 wrote: post #23
T-R wrote: post #16

Atwood and others have been praising the idea of a centralized identification system for a while, and tying it to a government identification system makes sense, but tying this to the Obama administration could be a marketing disaster. I can already hear Glenn Beck associating it with Nazi Germany and advocating against its use. Similarly, its association with Verizon, AT&T, Paypal, Symantec, and Google is likely to…

The reason why we can't have nice things is because some people are so willing to give up on certain ideas solely out of fear that people like Glenn Beck will criticize them. You seem to think that this will be a disaster and fail because of some crackpot lunatic association Glenn Beck will make, not because of the actual merits or dis-merits of the actual system. Do we give up on ideas that easily now? If so, then t…

Perhaps the fact that I dropped his name is overshadowing my point.

I think the politics surrounding it are likely to create a large amount of distrust from both ends of the political spectrum regardless of its technical merits, and that will put it at a severe disadvantage. This is assuming that its success is measured by its adoption rate, and that its adoption rate is dependent upon the level of trust in the system.

Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#32

Post by javert »

nickpinkston wrote: post #17

Wait... this doesn't add up for me: "[This will] limit fraud and streamline online transactions, leading to a surge in Web commerce" - Is this really that big of a factor in constraining online retail, or is there a greater chance of it imposing stupid rules. Who's behind this? "Verizon Communications Inc., Google Inc., PayPal Inc., Symantec Corp. and AT&T" - Oh yea, this sounds perfectly benevolent... But who's over…

but it seems like where the companies (incl. GOOG) are trying to take net neutrality - into a controllable space with gov't teeth...

This is why I'm opposed to net neutrality.

Net neutrality has always been about "a controllable space with gov't teeth." Net "neutrality" is a contradiction in terms because it requires the government and corporate cronies to make it work, and the government and corporate cronies are not neutral.

It's unbelievable how the liberal crowd buys it, hook, line, and sinker. I hate to use a corny Star Wars quote but it's appropriate, something like this: "Liberty always dies to the sound of applause."

Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#33

Post by wmf »

recampbell wrote: post #24
trotsky wrote: post #10

This has been out there for a while. Here is a draft of the plans from June 2010: http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/ns_tic.pdf Basically an ecosystem of privately run PKI systems, with an independent governance board and standards body.

Why is the federal government's involvement necessary? We have a (mostly) workable PKI system for SSL certificates. Why does a consumer-focused PKI require government coordination? I think the lack of a widely deployed PKI for authenticating consumer's identities is an indicator that a novel approach is required, but what can the federal government do that an independent (perhaps multi-national) organization could no…

You've gotten to the real issues here. If the problem is lack of industry consensus (i.e. N standards instead of one), maybe the government can bully the industry into picking one.

Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#34

Post by T-R »

thwarted wrote: post #26
T-R wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not crazy at all, but it seems we've reached a point in the conversation where we can't produce anything meaningful without it getting drowned out by screams of "Fascism" and "Plutocracy". I think that both Government and Business stand to benefit from it enough that it's possible that there weren't underhanded motivations involved, or at least that they won't come to fruition.

Underhanded? I agree, most likely not. Created by busybodies though? Highly likely. EDIT: And I say this because I was reading something about this (can't find the link now) where it said something like the rate of on-line retail is growing and is now a 30 billion dollar business (I might be misremembering the numbers). And we must do something about this to protect it, protect it from fraud and a bunch of other "pro…

I have to say I agree with you, there. I think there are benefits to be had, but saying "This is going to cause a huge shift in consumer use of the Internet" can only be described as overblown.

Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#35

Post by gabrielroth »

waterlesscloud wrote: post #13

Once this exists, it will just be a matter of time until it becomes mandatory. This is a guaranteed fact.

I want the text of that guarantee. What do I get if it doesn't become mandatory? And by when will it become mandatory?

Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#36

Post by electromagnetic »

thwarted wrote: post #22
trotsky wrote: post #10

This has been out there for a while. Here is a draft of the plans from June 2010: http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/ns_tic.pdf Basically an ecosystem of privately run PKI systems, with an independent governance board and standards body.

From the first sentence in the Executive Summary: Cyberspace – the interdependent network of information technology components that underpins many of our communications – is a crucial component of the Nation’s critical infrastructure. We use cyberspace to exchange information, buy and sell products and services, and enable many online transactions across a wide range of sectors, both nationally and internationally. A…

The very disturbing thing is that "cyberspace" by term literally means the space between yours and my connection to the internet, be it phone line, cable, whatever.

Such broad usage of terminology and the idea of regulating it is wholly disturbing to me. This literally means everything from the last-mile connection from my ISP to my website is potentially up for interference from the government.

Why do I have the feeling that this will somehow be related to a massive crackdown on piracy?

Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#37

Post by shooll »

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Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#38

Post by lwat »

noelchurchill wrote: post #7
wmf wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Americans just don't trust the government; that's why so few people have driver's licenses. Oh wait.

I have a government drivers license so I can drive on government roads. I don't need a government license to get online and check my email, thank you.

Not yet you don't!

Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#39

Post by waterlesscloud »

rewind wrote: post #30
waterlesscloud wrote: post #13

Once this exists, it will just be a matter of time until it becomes mandatory. This is a guaranteed fact.

Based on what? Saying there is zero chance of it being optional (once it exists) seems pretty extreme.

Zero chance. It will be optional in the way that TSA searches are optional at airports.

Public Safety, of course. Terrorists, child molesters, hate speech.

We'll have to be protected.

Really, this script writes itself.

Re: Internet Identity System Said Readied by Obama Administration

#40

Post by aamar »

waterlesscloud wrote: post #13

Once this exists, it will just be a matter of time until it becomes mandatory. This is a guaranteed fact.

The US Postal Service has existed for over 200 years, and at no point has it become mandatory.

We could easily provide half a dozen other major government initiatives which intersect with commercial activity and do not seem remotely on track to mandatory usage.

What makes this particular initiative different? If the postal service were created today, would you also suspect that it would become mandatory in a matter of time?

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