While encryption was still under the watchful eye of the US Department of State, Bernstein wrote an encryption program called Snuffle. This was promptly classified as munitions under then existing International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which meant a licence was required . . .
While encryption was still under the watchful eye of the US Department of State, Bernstein wrote an encryption program called Snuffle. This was promptly classified as munitions under then existing International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which meant a licence was required if it were to be sent overseas.

The author of the Gigalaw piece, Shubha Ghosh, argues that the requirement of a licence silenced Bernstein and imposed a prior restraint on his speech, a restraint that "could not be justified by national security interests".

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