Computers make it harder and harder to keep your privacy. If you're interested in keeping your conversations private, PGP is a good place to start.
PGP is a piece of software which can encrypt text or data files being sent to someone else. Unlike most encryption software, it uses "public-key" encryption. This means that you can publish an encryption key for other people (whom you might not even know) to send you encrypted mail. You don't need to give them a private key in advance. Only you can decrypt a message which was encrypted with your key (using a second, paired, key).
If you'd like to send me encrypted mail, my PGP key is at the bottom of this page. Actually, I have two keys; one of them is for my work account. Please use only that one if you send mail there;I suspect that employers might be able to legally force employees to give up keys used for mail which flows through a company-owned mail system.
If you own a Macintosh (or MacOS-compatible), you may want to check out FileCrypt (now SafeMail), by HIGHWARE Inc. It makes PGP much easier to use. PGP 6.5 (available free for noncommercial use) also has a good Macintosh implementation.
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.6.2, by FileCrypt 1.0 mQCPAzCMPCwAAAEEAMDx+BjADq+2Kav1xyJkIvSv/Jjxg9PcswtCLg0CM0OtMGOa fJGVggaHX4QS7tME6n+EZIEMTbaZdwjVSALOOI5kDlR3YQe6AQAr4okTL6/doxie HzNErV7f2KSgSearymoo0kTLKWu1rKLiR1UAu7FX6NzZ/UURn5kuQG9UPBcZABME AAG0HUFudG9uIEIuIFJhbmcgPHJhbmdAdmlzaS5jb20+iQCVAwUQMngb0ZkuQG9U PBcZAQEuWQP/c9kCvErVe8NDurhQIbIWVyJ1f6uNLqM3mKqgjEg7fmgI/N9+oimg hBsl3187DpO8O1dF7V+zqxytWze4RFlBuhydXnIaUoZ+PPWpD1koEakzm0dWIH8b pLbBxTFcS6K/CziDJZeQmkVFWvJXOpAFnCTUMeN5xMADrF36ZsubfSWJAJUDBRAz SFN1sHcfylQHSSUBAZQsA/0ZIvfNx/5V2ZAwYTo+VeaRfebFcbSAuqHup0cPOGX5 z+CRGOu8O3OqpXcf6si4GhG2/NCXqdj0+loSSkPwA8Rqp+cwQ1oZWr2jCqVGV4yJ jtv+qXPEAvNEEHLG+9HtqH3ZBQU9ps8OWaCQBPmm+NRbdbWjBNVCzY2H5ZdvqaDy 7YkAlQMFEDNU6abU9WftqPMHFQEBdU8D/iR98a1GpooK4LoZvDX+6r5lvoWP5HEH e5u1DdfHjqI5P5QyVs2lrFdgm9U9qLwTq1QOGJ7Y65cTyRZHHtpo7/z7TIn/vsPs 1VJsSnljCUgvmSgF6sE8s+u3lagbr/4Bn1e1v1QaFDLsh9IZbu5UdvoLW0899EhJ Ga91w1agaO2niQCVAwUQM1TpcpOQ9PMd1c1VAQGfnQP+Lh/QsrtGHfmN2dS5V73W 40iML5SbPjTE5Ot0GEEZaXt8WxvMN/rRwZL8KphfeezB/MDXPiTVvvlJ0grkpfJd Ix5LgT/YsfxqF5F0pJ+tyfTNAG1Z2j/i85AEJjerPLc74N/B8gtzVkr8g+z97z0n jq78OW/uz7ssIRmsMnOZFtC0HEFudG9uIEIuIFJhbmcgPHJhbmdAYWNtLm9yZz6Z AI8DMnYojgAAAQQAsKrzXVDFt6MAPrjqHpOQ6d7SoeCayN1MDDNvxx0fiV4R5teA gcB5GRDFvBGdFvsl6alG6ageQsoKPR18nDVHX+SZCUfYuhop6f/F/zAa4284+DyC pNeK7xctssvSfEAuim+H8M0wZwRgNIrJxSvZvhQoTb40WiMysHcfylQHSSUAEQEA AbQmQW50b24gUmFuZyA8cmFuZ0B0cmlsbGl1bS5hZGFwdGVjLmNvbT6JAJUDBRAy dn0YmS5Ab1Q8FxkBAeQLA/9Rtss3n8fOUMtI2EmAMwiyD+yzDXVw7F6UHwYAkUGG PcGQV3KbPxP0uxmJ9Sed8OiKHOYnOX2RHg4GRGs0HgcDSs3FJJvSuQuZtmVTGSBI /boBsQLhLMJ1I7Fjn7h9yz+XRgw1OnMBE6sY4RqNbGyzimKgCal5srDcml4C23Nb X4kAlQMFEDNK6enU9WftqPMHFQEBDjwD/2oJfUU9ls0A1UUwbTTHPjk/tu22Nm7i IsYBLFJxk3lt5GhVaY5ZiA6W6Y/3KzDQiVaA+2bU+Pi6n8feyCwH2yS1g1JveJL3 JMQmx6vWYU7gEJS7NeCx9hHGqi2z6e89c+mdSdSgJ4f54mNGlaaIuKjYGB6hfyTo iJGb4KtvwVt0iQCVAwUQM0vGeZOQ9PMd1c1VAQELtQP+Kdn9zeaxqZHz9zW37PJ/ wa0wOxDwBuA8q2jun0t0MOPZLZ6FQ4Akb6EcfzFmI7JfWOZETieWBtJsEWcGDx5C CFz+3GglctgXmaifJqmKBAfQMdZXrHVraWOWlUdRLHUPpIjLqbq9hcpnfhso9JC+ TLt4Mmyc/7siSTkwMC2Io56JAJUDBRAzVSfjsHcfylQHSSUBAZHBBACaD55GaGh1 sHjyOhbhvVZ2rZl1aKX8G17eCYKwQboWgHqo4PmNrULWTzf4cjwpIVEbDpj/K3Hx sQoluAh4IiidNf6MQGBf0GnEKUMzSkYBoV0iYlC65PcYnfkoFJWds0ohFEJcBSEa riovcj5XkxijJKr4J6Q4/l0Wjz++ec8TIQ== =XNqa -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
If you've got PGP 5.0 or later, here's my newer public key. The key formats have changed in the new version, because of some patent issues, but it should be interoperable with the older version.
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: PGPfreeware 6.5.1 for non-commercial use <http://www.pgp.com> mQGiBDbSKk4RBADiym3Xy6DIlcKJQFkZX42vzXWGSvM+L5fcfPinm+M1OHZ8i8LU iwn+7P612qM3W0QjEmGCO5i1jm0PUsMI4eHk79E5oQKv0Q7LjgPbzo8oIueXeULW 8//pM9aP3HtFuhx9+pRkn5cyYxEkzugkQQIdZXnmBCUxQ9VEMdh8YlODFwCg/6qr x2dq5V4hvqY0nJdN3QRExKMD+wTe7C7NXcykjJijNuL5EAeDbyqI1DAdnB+uhpoL rAnbEoigmwAO4UufZ640Q1hzMb8QUSOq3iMCKXtJwjhd1vX7ti2em1+77LRSiPuk HNdMFEbYD+wmsNBwir+ClUGFnmZU7u8Tj54xUOUafMRdGsgulQW9ezmiWUW4odXs PJpCA/9L71KTw0wj0nkOX4vr5OkmphuM4jKqoMj7zwWX9tXonYx2n6rOkUUfifvz +Qg+Um2cnrVjr7aRmPOXaBjUIKAtsV7fBvKZqRl+60RGxOv3XloiXcwIu3vQypcd BfIUOjazYg9JZhzJ/WuS0mDt35xNv/ACE9JvORBpEOEE0ZmBS7QZQW50b24gUmFu ZyA8cmFuZ0BhY20ub3JnPokASwQQEQIACwUCNtIqTgQLAwIBAAoJEKN7lFpM4Jsw I2sAn0KBWfgX98aXXGeZL18AGkK7UwOMAKCQsmG0yCHQUoYBKR1hqIm0QyutfrQa QW50b24gUmFuZyA8cmFuZ0B2aXNpLmNvbT6JAEsEEBECAAsFAjbSLScECwMCAQAK CRCje5RaTOCbMAkgAKC9/EmJvRJoEWiaxXoQ8sqZXpkrDACeIzjoWrWrVeSQWI/W MmTQgRVaEXq5Ag0ENtIqThAIAPZCV7cIfwgXcqK61qlC8wXo+VMROU+28W65Szgg 2gGnVqMU6Y9AVfPQB8bLQ6mUrfdMZIZJ+AyDvWXpF9Sh01D49Vlf3HZSTz09jdvO meFXklnN/biudE/F/Ha8g8VHMGHOfMlm/xX5u/2RXscBqtNbno2gpXI61Brwv0YA WCvl9Ij9WE5J280gtJ3kkQc2azNsOA1FHQ98iLMcfFstjvbzySPAQ/ClWxiNjrtV jLhdONM0/XwXV0OjHRhs3jMhLLUq/zzhsSlAGBGNfISnCnLWhsQDGcgHKXrKlQzZ lp+r0ApQmwJG0wg9ZqRdQZ+cfL2JSyIZJrqrol7DVekyCzsAAgIH/145a9UeJuJ7 /xwIB/KtAsXnOqceDG0S93ubKhtd7Y2Jm0XN0pRSRy4tELBwP4F3hv7eA2fIQSbr ve2Bqm85SaSgeSgEUD5dgCB5WMzMcjuEYeHLx8F1zcCVRUb2OzEWSpVNHSi04l/d jXvw5c29fvXdw3/ARWZ5Hr8eVdRCaVgyh3eB3hKL06sOLdFhLMCjyag6hpq4fKy1 Fz92oG6JyI8hi9H80ozGV9dpYE9JnEkWnJu2yRwyhRL7/8Yvaix4BLIAeOG5gCmN mzaF6n+BlXbr5rDcxL4pky4QN+p+0GWFP5FvwDGkE5j6MkwKQW40aNUvUZmjbTtg C8txIzQHwCyJAEYEGBECAAYFAjbSKk4ACgkQo3uUWkzgmzAfpACgppcWW+PA+T6W GmLe4VDibT5/9BIAnRzG9h6P6NJIMC1EwLOMI0q0lsZY =eRfU -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----ABR