#2 - Must Be True, Purpose

[LilyRose]

The correct answer is apparently C, "provide an example of a regulatory problem arising when an electronic communication intended for a particular destination passes through intermediate jurisdictions." However, how can this be the case when the second paragraph explicitly draws a distinction between the physical space demarcated by traditional sovereignty, and the 'space' created on the internet? There doesn't seem to be any suggestion that a message going from Canada to Japan would actually pass through France's territorial boundaries, as the right answer suggests. I chose A because it seems much more logical - addressing the 'worldwide' scope of data on the Internet.

[Clay Cooper]

HI LilyRose,

Thanks for your question.

I do not think the passage mentions an unhealthy government obsession with secrecy - whether or not such an obsession exists in the real world is a question for another (encrypted) forum - and thus I do not think the passage supports answer choice A. Though the author's tone suggests he or she might even agree with A, the question we are asked is much more specific: "According to the passage..." So, whatever answer we choose, we must support it with information mentioned in the passage.

The only answer choice for which such support exists concretely in the passage is B. See in lines 29-30, which immediately follow the contention mentioned in the question stem, the idea that the government should not destroy its emails: "the public should thus have the right to review any documents created during the conducting of government business."

This right is cited by those who oppose government's deleting emails as the reason the government shouldn't be allowed to do so, and thus answer choice B is correct.

I hope that helps!

[Ladan Soleimani]

Hi LilyRose,

When looking at the purpose of the French example it is important to look at its immediate context in the passage. The two sentences before the example are brought up explain the concern that the author is addressing. The author is noting that communication which may pass through many territories provide questions about privacy concerns that the current regulations and structures are unable to deal with. This matches with answer choice (C).

Answer choice (A) is too broad. The passage has already addressed how information on the internet is available to users all over the world right from the first sentence. The example in the question stem has a much narrower purpose at the end of the passage. I hope that helps!

Ladan

[LilyRose]

Thank you both, I understand now.