Report: No-Name Internet Use Poses Security Threat

L O N D O N, March 22 -- An Internet system designed to guaranteeanonymous free speech on the Web could be used by childpornographers and terrorists, according to New Scientist magazine.

Freenet was created by Edinburgh University graduate IanClarke and other programmers to make tracing the originators ofa file impossible, thereby giving dissidents in countrieswithout free speech a voice.

But the Internet Watch Foundation, an independent body thatmonitors Web sites in Britain, fears the decentralized systemcould be used for more sinister purposes.

“There is clear potential for misuse by criminals,terrorists and pedophiles,” Roger Darlington, the chairman ofthe foundation, told the weekly magazine in its latest issue.

Makes Tracking HarderBritish police also warned that it could make policing theInternet and tracking down computer crimes even more difficult.

Freenet’s authors are difficult to track down because filesdo not have a unique Internet address and are distributed oncomputers belonging to Freenet members.

“When a file is stored, it is given a key, Freenet’sequivalent of a Web address. The software then forwards the datato other servers, but the creator of the file doesn’t know towhich. To retrieve a file, users enter the key,” New Scientistsaid.

According to Clarke, a single computer user cannot be heldresponsible for Freenet files because the originator cannot betraced.

“It’s perfect machine anarchy,” said Clarke. “No singlecomputer is in control.”