Policy —

Bay Area: Join us 11/15 for a brief history of encryption and the law

At Ars Live, Stanford attorney Riana Pfefferkorn will discuss legal threats to crypto.

Riana Pfefferkorn is an expert in crypto and the law. She's an attorney and the Cryptography Fellow at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society.
Enlarge / Riana Pfefferkorn is an expert in crypto and the law. She's an attorney and the Cryptography Fellow at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society.
Riana Pfefferkorn

With the DOJ recently bringing back the "Going Dark" debate and now calling for "responsible encryption," what does the Trump administration have to say about strong crypto? Do we know yet? Do they?

If there's anyone who might be able to figure that out, it's Riana Pfefferkorn. As an attorney and legal fellow, Pfefferkorn is at the forefront of trying to make sense of new technology, surveillance policy, and the thorny legal questions that emerge. She'll explain how this problem emerged and what the FBI has already done about it over the last decade.

Join Ars Technica editors Cyrus Farivar and Annalee Newitz in conversation with Riana Pfefferkorn at the next Ars Technica Live on November 15 at Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland.

Riana is the Cryptography Fellow at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society. Her work focuses on investigating and analyzing the US government's policy and practices for forcing decryption and/or influencing crypto-related design of online platforms and services, devices, and products, both via technical means and through the courts and legislatures.

Prior to joining Stanford, Riana was an associate in the Internet Strategy & Litigation group at the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she worked on online privacy, Internet intermediary liability, consumer protection, copyright, trademark, and trade secrets. While there, she was also actively involved in the firm's pro bono program. Before that, Riana clerked for the Honorable Bruce J. McGiverin of the US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.

Ars Live takes place on the third Wednesday of every month at Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland (3629 MLK Way). They have the best tater tots you've ever eaten. So crispy!

Doors open at 7pm, and the live filming is from 7:30pm to 8:20-ish (be sure to get there early if you want a seat). Stick around afterward for informal discussion, beer, and snacks. Can't make it out to Oakland? Never fear! Episodes will be posted to Ars Technica the week after the live events.

The event is free but space is limited, so RSVP using Eventbrite. You can also keep up with the latest Ars Live doings on Facebook. See you soon, Bay Area Arsians!

Channel Ars Technica