[ctdonath2]

I've been hearing some disturbing things about nanotechnology lately. I don't swear that they're accurate, but I'm getting whispers and too-pointed-I-can-neither-confirm-nor-deny remarks that suggest that the federal government is ever so quietly beginning an effort to shut down or limit civilian nanotechnology research.

Ah, the birth of FUD.

Keep in mind a similar rumor 20+ years ago: not long after the DES encryption algorithm was widely accepted, the NSA quietly told IBM to make certain changes and to not use certain keys. For two decades there were grand conspiracy theories about how the feds strongarmed a backdoor into the most-used encryption algorithm. Just recently, non-NSA mathematicians finally figured out the "do this and don't ask why" changes: the DES cypher was significantly strengthened by the changes.

Point is, when it comes to national security matters, rumors are often wild and the feds are not actually working against us. Unfortunately, the ignorant rumormongers can talk but the security folks can't.

When you get some real facts about these tinfoil-hat conspiracies, let us know. Until then, avoid propogating FUD.

[eno_]

The NSA still does massively outspend any and all private crypto technologies. And, mysteriously enough, since it would be very simple to do, e-mail and instant messaging are not routinely encrypted in popular copmuter systems, and GSM digital voice encryption was weakened at the behest of governments. Don't kid yourself that our government and others do not have strong sway over technology development.