[jMyles]

> Regardless of our views on encryption, we need to have a conversation about that shift.

I agree that this is the real discussion, but I think that there is indeed a vibrant, worldwide discussion happening on this topic with more frequency and intensity than has ever been the case before.

The writing on the wall is unambiguous: the internet is an evolutionary force whose trajectory and destiny are to deprecate monopolistic government. This has already been shown convincingly with respect to censorship. It is increasingly obvious with respect to intellectual property and remix art. On the horizons are monetary policy and policing.

The humane and sane approach here is to get out of the way and let evolution run its course. Every time the state insists on pre-information age norms, it sounds to me like a whining adolescent, surprised that some of its childhood toys have broken.

The old model of investigative surveillance is broken - broken because of cameras which can reveal the conduct of (uniformed or undercover) state agents, broken because instantaneous worldwide communication moves much faster than bureaucracy, and yes, broken because cryptography.