• Code running on computers provides subsequent empowerment which can frighten.  This is especially relevant because the digital revolution is still so new and therefore so is cybercrime and the human control of it, such as IC3 the US Government's Internet Crime Complaint Center policing, the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 and other 21st century legislation.

Timeline:
• Late 20th Century – The US Government starts a plan to use Clipper chips to allow them access to all encrypted data.
• 2007~ – Customs case law at borders makes it criminal not to decrypt data upon request.
• October 2007 – A law came into force in the United Kingdom that is a severe attack on the free use of encryption.  The law is the Regulation of Investigatory Power Act (RIPA) 2000 part III.  It would contravene the US' 5th Amendment, the right not to self-incriminate.  It also removes the right to remain silent.  People in London, England, for example, can be forced to decrypt their computer data for police or else face up to two years in jail.

This site is all about computing rights.  It may not seem like a large issue now, but if it were to be in question it would become one overnight.  Can you imagine a world where you're not allowed to shop at Amazon, or a day when it's illegal to play video games, or to use a spreadsheet to do your budgeting?  Why would such a world exist?  This is an important question to raise, and even if it's an almost unthinkable situation consider lesser restrictions.  How about no right to encryption?  This has been tried on several recent occasions including Clipper chips, RIPA UK and Customs case law.  What if only Caucasians, royalty or blue eyed people were allowed to own a computer?  Or if you needed a government license to buy one?  This could enable personal accountability for internet activity, to limit computers to the 'deserved', or for a multitude of other reasons.  We here at ƒrequency hope these restrictions never see the light of day, nor the lamplight of a backroom discussion by people in power.

You've reached this site because you're interested in computing rights.  Our aim is to provide here information on this and to provoke discussion about the possible futures for us all in regards to computing rights, for all forever.