The Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, which is an independent European advisory body on data protection and privacy under the European Data Protection Directive, has published an interesting report on TCG. In regards to the opt-in myth of trusted computing, the report writes:
"At the moment the possibility for the user to decide whether or not to use a platform with
a TPM exists outside the corporate environment, although one can wonder how long this
situation will last. The use of TPM, promoted by such a strong representation from
industry, is likely to become a de facto standard, a necessary feature to participate in the
information society. This could have consequences not only in the field of data
protection, but also regarding other human rights aspects such as the freedom of speech."
I am not sure whether the implications for free speech will actually be that great, but there may be great implications for competition.
