Demon Internet's opinion

[Richard Clayton]

Following on from the pre-Xmas suggestion of trying to get as many of
the DTI consultation paper submissions published on the web as possible
(to forestall any suggestion that "industry" is "in favour" of the "TTP
with compulsory key escrow" proposals) Demon Internet's submission is
now on the web...

As I recall, there were about 450 submissions, so Ian Brown's list

        http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/I.Brown/dt-responses.htm

is about 420 short :-(  perhaps some people on this list haven't told
him suitable details ?

Anyway... the URL of the "news" item (which then links to the submission
itself) is:

        http://www.demon.net/news/features/crypto/

------- extract from the web page, after a scene-setting intro ------

At the time, Demon Internet made a lengthy submission to the DTI. In
this submission Demon saw that TTPs might have a "useful role" to play
in facilitating secure electronic commerce, but the bulk of the comments
made were to reject the proposal for key escrow. 

Demon argued that it would 

    damage confidence in the TTPs 

    the security of the TTPs would always be suspect 

    the cost of attempting to provide that security would have to be
    paid by the users of the TTP. 

Further objections to the proposals in the DTI consultation paper
related to the proposal that unlicensed TTPs would become illegal, which
would prevent Demon offering future services to their customers. There
were also specific worries about the nature of the "strict liability"
which TTPs would have.

The consultation period ended in May 1997, and since then the DTI have
been considering the response, and will doubtless have been trying to
square their proposals with the Labour Party position which, in
opposition, rejected the notion of key escrow.

The DTI's summary of the comments received and their proposed way
forward were originally expected in October 1997 and are now expected
this Spring.
 
To allow Demon's customers and others to weigh the fairness of the DTI
summary, and the good sense of any new proposals, Demon are now making
their comments public for the first time. 

---- end extract ----

I doubt that readers of this list will be surprised by anything in the
submission (or the associated overview of the subject billed as my
personal view - which will evoke a sense of deja vu in those who have
visited www.happyday.demon.co.uk). However, it should raise the profile
and fill in the background of the subject at an opportune time with this
year's DTI proposals imminent.

This item will be linked from Demon's front page (www.demon.net) for a
couple of weeks which means (statistically) that about half of Demon's
165000 users will see the link, and with luck a fair few will at least
take a quick look to see what may be going on...

Any journalists who wish to discuss Demon's corporate views should be
talking to James Gardiner (0181 371 3711) pr@demon.net rather than
myself.

Finally, if you're confused by my address :)  Turnpike is wholly owned
by Demon, it just maintains a separate brand image.

-- 
richard                      richard.clayton    @    T U R N P I K E .com
                                                     tel: +44 1306 732300
"Assembly of Japanese bicycle require great peace of mind" quoted in ZAMM