Unsecured connections

Of course you're only likely to get pretty good privacy (PGP) most of the
time however, some privacy is better than a plain text message broadcast to
the world with credit card information.  The refusal by CTA to allow
unsecured internet transactions both limits their liability and acts
paternalistically to protect individuals from credit card fraud.  This seems
analogous to a public agency encouraging citizens to walk alone in dark
alleys at night.  It is inviting robbery.  The government has an obligation
not to invite citizens into unnecessarily dangerous situations both personal
and financial.  [Military service is a special case]  What I'm getting at is
that even though this site may not be not fully accessible due the
requirement of SSL transactions for purchases this is both necessary and
acceptable.

-Jamie


-----Original Message-----
From:	Kynn Bartlett [mailto:kynn-hwg@idyllmtn.com]
To:	jfox@fenix2.dol-esa.gov
Cc:	'Web Accessibility Initiative'
Subject:	RE: information access at chicago transit authority

At 03:34 p.m. 11/23/98 -0500, Jamie Fox wrote:
>Why would you want to send credit card info over an unsecured connection.

Because (a) it could be the only way you have to send credit
card numbers at all over the net, and (b) "secured connections"
aren't anywhere near as secure as you'd like to believe.

--
Kynn Bartlett  <kynn@idyllmtn.com>
http://www.idyllmtn.com/~kynn/
Chief Technologist & Co-Owner, Idyll Mountain Internet; Fullerton,
California
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Received on Monday, 23 November 1998 16:29:45 UTC