This reminds me a little of [edge|base|corner] cases in programming. It&#x27;s easy to handle normal parameters. But if you&#x27;re at or beyond the limits of expected parameters, then what? If you ignore [edge|base|corner] cases, you run the risk of enacting a bad law.<p>So if a government wishes to restrict encryption, does that mean criminalizing only the distribution of commercial products with strong crypto? Or knowing possession of them? How about if you distribute free software? Possess free software? How about distributing an algorithm that&#x27;s printed out? On a t-shirt? Set to music? In a sonnet? On a blackboard in a math lecture?<p>A crypto-ban proposal discussed in the U.S. Congress stopped short at targeting possession, but did target &quot;import[ing],&quot; which presumably would include downloading from an offshore site:<p><i>&quot;It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture for distribution, distribute, or import encryption products intended for sale or use in the United States...&quot;</i> <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;thomas.loc.gov&#x2F;cgi-bin&#x2F;cpquery&#x2F;T?&amp;report=hr108p4&amp;dbname=105&amp;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;thomas.loc.gov&#x2F;cgi-bin&#x2F;cpquery&#x2F;T?&amp;report=hr108p4&amp;dbna...</a>