Ever since the feds failed in setting up the Internet in the United States, which was their original plan, they have made it a crime to FTP and Telnet into several sites. They have also sought to ban information relating to the structure of the Internet. They have also banned all methods of true data-encryption, such as the MYK-78 and others like it. It was the feds original plan to set up the Internet in the United States so they could control it. As a result of that failure they have used their legislative powers to ensure that no method exists by which to send a private message on the Internet.
It is my personal belief that it is within the bounds of the user’s constitutional right to privacy to send a message using the Internet in a manner where no one can intercept it or disclose it’s contents to anyone. The users of the Internet have a right to send PRIVATE mail, mail that no one other than the sender and recipient will read! If you think you can do that within the law, you are wrong. There is NO LEGAL WAY to send a private message on the Internet! ALL methods that once were available to send private mail have been made ILLEGAL!
It is inevitable that this problem between the users and those government agencies who believe they have the power to regulate the Internet will at some time in the future reach a climax. With more and more businesses using the Internet, and more and more individuals and students using it, the privacy of mail will inevitably come into question.
Some officials of the FBI and CIA claim that they banned the MYK-78 (April 1994), they claimed that “Drug dealers and other criminals would use the private mail to transmit information concerning drug deals and other illegal activities...” So what! Drug dealers use phones too and you don’t see anyone lobbying to have all phones banned DO YOU! Drug dealers have also been known to send drugs in the mail, using the US Postal service, UPS, FedEX, and other and no one is attempting to shut them down. Why? It is, of course, unrealistic for them to ban or shut down such services since so many legitimate users of those services would object. Not many people have publicly objected to the banning of the MYK-78 and all others like it. People need to SPEAK UP, and LOUDLY, and PUBLICLY object to the unconstitutional actions of not allowing users of the Internet to send PRIVATE mail.
