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ashcroft on encryption
------- Forwarded Message
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 98 17:51:16 -0500
From: [email protected] (R L Johnson)
To: [email protected]
Subject: IP: Senator Wants Back Door to Encrypted Data Closed
http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/9661.html
Senator Wants Back Door to Encrypted Data Closed
Reuters
3:15pm 14.Jan.98.PST
WASHINGTON - Sounding the opening bell of a
renewed battle over encryption policy, Senate
Republican John D. Ashcroft has declared he
would oppose legislation that would mandate that
all software made in the Unites States be
equipped with features that would allow
government access to all encrypted data.
"Americans must be free to communicate
privately, without the government listening in,"
Ashcroft said in a statement Tuesday. "The
privacy concerns here are fundamental and call for
serious consideration by the Senate."
The Missouri Republican said he would hold a
hearing next month on the issue in the Senate
Judiciary's Constitution, Federalism, and Property
Rights subcommittee he chairs.
Ashcroft's remarks followed a battle last year in
Congress over regulation of encryption technology,
which scrambles information and renders it
unreadable without a password or software "key."
Encryption has become an increasingly critical
means of securing electronic commerce and
communications on the Internet. But the
scrambling capability can also be used by
criminals to hide their dealings from law
enforcement agencies.
A bill approved by the Senate Commerce
Committee last year would impose strong
incentives to promote the use of encryption with a
back door to allow covert government decoding of
any information. And legislation approved by some
committees in the House would go even further,
requiring the back door in all products sold in the
United States.
Ashcroft said he opposed the Senate measure,
sponsored by Bob Kerrey, Democrat of Nebraska,
and John McCain, Republican of Arizona. Majority
Leader Trent Lott asked Ashcroft to "pay special
attention" to the issue, Ashcroft said.
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