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de-duplication doesn't make users any more vulnerable to intrusive government actions. today, a government agency could ask any online service to provide the na
by arashf 15y ago
de-duplication doesn't make users any more vulnerable to intrusive government actions. today, a government agency could ask any online service to provide the names of all users who have a particular file, whether or not the service employs de-duplication. and in that case, the government would also need to support its request with a warrant or court order. the rules that provide a check against unwarranted government snooping apply to online services equally, regardless of their backend architecture.
- bradgessler 15y agoTo parse that, are you saying that under such a circumstance, a government agency would have to provide the names of each person they suspect have that particular file? Or could they demand the names of all users that have a particular digest of that file?
- arashf 15y agobasically, the government could try to make that type of request independent of backend implementation. what protects users against such an obtrusive action (effectively violating every user's privacy in search of the bad guys) are the provisions of the electronic communications privacy act.
- bradgessler 15y agoLink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Communications_Privacy_Act#Summaries_of_the_decisions_about_the_act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Communications_Priva...