chosaq

Trusted computing and ‘owner override’

Over at the Electronic Frontier Foundation website, a thought provoking article about the promises and risks of trusted computing. There is no direct link to copyright issues in Japan, but as it gives an excellent overview about the concept of trusted computing – which is relevant for the Japanese copyright debate, too – I thought I’d mention it here. In his paper, Seth Schoen (?) points out that

The lack of computer-owner control of the content of attestations is the central problem with the current trusted computing proposals. It is an unacceptably grave design flaw that must be remedied before the trusted computing architecture as a whole package will be of clear benefit to computer owners.

He proposes a so called “Owner override” solution, which would restore others’ inability to know for certain what software you’re running on your computer, and hence preserving a user’s control and choice.

Via Freedom to Tinker.