The perennial target for government disapproval is encryption, and recent events in New York have added serious fuel to the already glowing embers of the argument. It is a touchy subject in light of the recent atrocities, which are being used . . .
The perennial target for government disapproval is encryption, and recent events in New York have added serious fuel to the already glowing embers of the argument. It is a touchy subject in light of the recent atrocities, which are being used as an excuse to push legislation through. America has always had a problem with the technology, and under the Arms Export Control Act, companies are forced to apply for a licence to export strong encryption products.

The inventor of Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), Phil Zimmerman, got into a great deal of trouble when he released the original code because of the reactions of many US activists. They uploaded his software to as many bulletin boards as possible in an act of defiance against the US Government, which was trying to ban public key encryption. Zimmerman lived for years with the threat of indictments hanging over his head.

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