Item 1: Magic Lantern is not the same as Carnivore. Magic Lantern does not monitor any network communications; it is a keystroke logger.

Item 2: Magic Lantern does not spread like a virus or worm.

Item 3: Magic Lantern currently requires a warrant and physical access to the computer for installation. A future version might be installed as a Trojan-horse, but in all cases, the software would be targeted at a specific computer as authorized by a warrant.

Item 4: Magic Lantern is not available to the public at large or antivirus software publishers. The likelihood that any antivirus publisher, foreign or domestic, could obtain example code on which to base a virus recognition signature is very slight.

Item 5: Magic Lantern is a small and simple program. Writing a new version to circumvent anti-virus signatures is quick and trivial.

Item 6: Many Europeans are way too paranoid about U.S. espionage, but also seem completely ignorant about the contrary. (Maybe I should have ended that sentence three words sooner?) Your governments have and use the same technology against suspected criminals. Some got it from us.

Item 7: Aside from our efforts at anti-terrorism, drug interdiction and counter-espionage, we in the U.S. couldn’t care less what you do in Europe. On the off-hand chance that you do come up with something unique that we want, we’ll just buy out the patent or the entire company.

Item 8: Our football players can kick your football players’ butts anytime, anyplace. And in the U.S., routing for the opposing team isn’t reasonable grounds for riots and attempted genocide.

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