Export restrictions ruled unconstitutional

Robert Harley (Robert.Harley@inria.fr)
Fri, 7 May 1999 10:10:20 +0200 (MET DST)


Daniel Bernstein won his case:

http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,0-36217,00.html?st.ne.lh..ni

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Math professor wins landmark crypto ruling
By Courtney Macavinta
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
May 6, 1999, 4:25 p.m. PT

update U.S. export limits on encryption are unconstitutional, the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a precedent-setting decision
today.

In a 2-to-1 vote, a federal panel affirmed U.S. District Judge Marilyn
Patel's 1997 landmark ruling in Daniel Bernstein vs. the Justice
Department. That decision states that software source code is a
language, and therefore the export controls violate the University of
Illinois math professor's First Amendment right.

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This looks pretty darn significant to me.

Congratulations, Dan!

Bye,
Rob.