A history of backdoors by Matthew Green (Cryptographer and research professor at John Hopkins University).
I commend this review of the history of backdoors to anyone interested in the technical issues and why “exceptional access” isn’t a workable idea.
I do not recommend it if you are debating pro-government access advocates because they are wrapped in an armor of invincible ignorance. You are wasting your time offering them contrary facts and opinions of genuine experts.
Your time is better spent documenting all the lies told by government officials in a policy area. When debating “exceptional access” point out the government and its minions are completely unworthy of belief.
Humor is a far better weapon than facts because the government advocates think of themselves as serious people, entrusted with defending civilization itself. Rather than the 24×7 news cycles solemnly intoning their latest positions, there should be a Punch and Judy show that reports their positions.
And mocks their positions as well. Few things are sharper than well crafted humor. Especially when set to music so everytime a dunce proposal like “Clipper” comes up, you think of:
That’s right, the Clipper chip is to you as clipping Cupid’s wings are to him. (Pierre Mignard (1610-1695) – Time Clipping Cupid’s Wings (1694) Pierre Mignard [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
If you keep that firmly in mind, how much respect can you have for the Clipper chip and similar proposals?