said by benc :

I know that I'll probably get scolded for this, but it'd make sense.

I would favor having only government E-mail servers that provide E-mail addresses to every single citizen. Since E-mail resembles letters, this could be in the domain of the USPS.

However, I would favor this only if there is tight regulation. After all, it's a felony (I think) to intercept letters and discover the contents, ensuring privacy. A similar law could be applied to E-mail.

Also with government resources a very, very strong encryption method would be possible. Say, a 1,024-bit key that changes every hour.

I would also favor charging postage for E-mail. But only after a certain allowance (say, 6,000 messages free every year). That's 500 messages a month, more than enough for any normal individual. Almost no individuals will end up paying. However, it would seriously cut down on SPAM, which I think is a good thing. As for corporations, well they all have lots of money. If they can afford $.41 to send letters to every customer and employee, they can afford $.05/E-mail.

This allowance would be charged by the head or entity, not by the account. So multiple accounts won't mean skirting the limit.

I understand why some may not like the idea of government-run E-mail. But the USPS is government also, and I have absolutely no qualms, worries, or concerns about employees going through the mail. If they do so they will be in very serious trouble.

And if privacy is a concern, you're still stuck even with the current state of things. The government can already sniff network traffic, so what difference does it make if they run the nation's E-mail servers as well?

said by Rob :

Sorry, I got to scold you.

Are you INSANE?!

Aside from the privacy concerns, we do not need to give the government MORE REASONS to TAX US for STUPID STUFF.

It is not the government's job to give e-mail addresses to citizens.

Charging postage for E-mail?!?!?!? MORE MONEY to the government?!

Look, your idea is as insane as Hillary's 5,000 dollars per child in a "401k" plan.

The government is already too involved in our lives.

said by amungus :

No way. Makes no sense either.

I'll start w/the business side. You honestly think there should be an additional charge? So buying an Exchange server (or, even if it's a Linux box, the hardware had to cost something...), a T1 line (or business class cable/dsl), and paying TONS of money every month - and don't forget your customers who also pay for their internet access... should have to pay AGAIN ????(that's three different places now... where on earth does this magical 3rd charge come from? where, do tell, would it go TO?)

said by amungus :

Encryption? Wrong again. People can and do have this on their own - freely. The only thing "possible" in your scenario would be that they have all the keys and backdoors at their disposal...

said by amungus :

Now, if your scenario were more along the lines of FREE email, that's different. Sure, that'd be nice. Having a free email system from the postal service, that'd be a bit different. Think about the tech side though - it'd be a nightmare to setup and maintain - which is why they probably don't want to do it...

said by benc :

I would also favor charging postage for E-mail. But only after a certain allowance (say, 6,000 messages free every year). That's 500 messages a month, more than enough for any normal individual. Almost no individuals will end up paying. However, it would seriously cut down on SPAM, which I think is a good thing. As for corporations, well they all have lots of money. If they can afford $.41 to send letters to every customer and employee, they can afford $.05/E-mail.

said by benc :

My idea is that there won't be any publicly accessible E-mail servers, except those of the government. The fees would finance the servers. The idea is that E-mail would join the ranks of public services, such as roads, police, fire dept., etc.

said by benc :

As for backdoors and keys, aren't we already there? If not I would be surprised. After all, I learned that the government keeps records of *all* international phone calls to or from the U.S. Yes, even the boring calls I made to my uncle in New Zealand.

said by benc :

However, I realized one shortcoming to my system. How about message board E-mails from free message boards? If there's a membership fee then it won't be as big of a deal, though very very few message boards actually do charge.

said by benc :

I should have realized my system isn't perfect, but then again neither is our government.

said by benc :

I was just trying to think of a way to fix the "transfer" problem, by eliminating the need to transfer, and to also come up with a way to reduce SPAM which I know no one likes.

said by benc :

How about charging E-mail postage only for commercial entities (but not individuals)? Certainly not an end-all solution (other countries after all), but it'd be a step in the right direction in terms of SPAM.

said by nixen :

That's gotta be the finest piece of satire I've ever read. Sad thing is, you were probably being serious.

said by Kearnstd :

i dont think im quite confortable yet with government email servers. [tinfoil hat]they would have a back door no matter the encryption if they did make it a service like the USPS. the NSA and its internal supporters would insist, infact the servers would probally decrypt, scan and reencrypt all messages and it would be cloaked under the patriot act.[/tinfoil hat]

said by benc :

I would also favor charging postage for E-mail.