and I think we should all have it.
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-NSA) among others is trying to write into law a definition of a "professional journalist." Coming from her, it's probably part of an effort to deny privacy rights to as many of us as possible by excluding us from her definition, but that got me thinking a few days ago about how we might all qualify as journalists.
Then, Friday August 23, 2013, I sent an email to the NY Times Public Editor suggesting that she and all reporters, or at least all investigative reporters, should be set up to receive encrypted email.
The more I think about it, the more I think the ability and willingness to accept and read encrypted (read private, because that's what it is) messages is the hallmark of an investigative journalist. So now I suppose I need to learn how to do that myself, and maybe we all should. That way we can all stake a claim to be journalists, entitled to whatever (extra) rights come with that status. Also, that way we can all receive [encrypted] private email. And if we and our friends start sending lots of privacy-protected email, it would strain the NSA's ability to read it all and it would greatly dilute the allegation that encrypted email is inherently suspicious. It shouldn't be any more suspicious than sealing a first class envelope.