“There’s a real danger that the dodgy personal reputation of theorists like Assange will blind us to the possibilities for reform. It’s unfortunately true that many of our most visible experts in this area have been tainted one way or another in the press. In particular, the “outlaw” status of “hackers” like Assange should be set aside when they offer remedies for the overreach of government.

[…]

It makes no difference whether or not Assange is a stone cold liar in his personal life when we consider the protection that cryptography might offer a public that is being spied on illegally by its own government. If that is good advice, as it appears to be, we should surely act on it.”

Read the full essay at Pacific Standard.