Word: escrowed
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Historically, the U.S. has restricted exports of encryption to foreign countries. It is currently illegal to export encryption products beyond a certain strength without giving the government a key, a system known as "key escrow." Encryption has been classified as a type of munitions, a tool of war. The argument was that if terrorists, organized crime networks or other unpleasant people got their hands on powerful encryption software, they could encode their plans in a way that the CIA and the FBI couldn't understand...
Unfortunately, the Clinton Administration seems to see things the other way around. To keep individuals' documents open for government view, the Administration is pushing a plan for a national key escrow system, in which either the government or an approved third party would receive a key to every strong code, even those used only within the U.S. The Administration says that the keys would be accessed only with a valid court order...
Nonetheless, such a plan would be extremely dangerous; just like the export restrictions, it would weaken individuals' privacy without hurting criminals. A key escrow law would be very difficult to enforce, since lawbreakers could always use the products already widespread before the restrictions. Whether the third parties involved in this system could be trusted would always be a matter of faith...
...cannot report on the kinds of subtle discrimination that were uncovered at MIT because Harvard has not been willing to study the facts as MIT did. CEWH established an escrow account to which approximately 2,000 alumni/ae have donated money that is being held until Harvard takes some appropriate steps to ensure women's equality. Such steps have not been taken, and we are now forced to explore alternative uses for the money...
...help improve those odds, eBay, Auction Universe and Amazon.com all offer some type of insurance and recommend that people use escrow services. Industry pioneer Onsale.com which conducts only business-to-consumer auctions, guarantees its products...