Re: Popular Net anonymity service back-doored

[Paul Wouters <paul () xtdnet nl>]

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003, Alex Russell wrote:

> > It's likely were legally prevented from issuing a clear warning, which is
> > why I say they should have taken the service down in protest.  I don't know
> > German law, but I'd be surprised if the courts can force you to provide a
> > communications service just so the Feds can use it.
>
> I wouldn't be so suprised at such a ruling, although I'd really like to hear 
> from someone with familiarity with German law.

A court order might be able to tell you that they want to tap some
individual, and you have to co-operate in such a way that the target
will not notice this. However, *nothing* can order you to stay in
business. The obvious move would have been to tear down the anonymiser
and stop doing business. I am sure under Dutch law, I could stop the service.
I strongly suspect this is true for at least most of Europe.

Paul 
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