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In the past year, a conflict has erupted between technology companies, privacy advocates, and members of the U.S. law enforcement and intelligence communities over the right to use and distribute products that contain strong encryption technology.
This debate between government actors seeking ways to preserve access to encrypted communications and a coalition of pro-encryption groups is reminiscent of an old battle that played out in the 1990s: a period that has come to be known as the "Crypto Wars."
This paper tells the story of that debate and the lessons that are relevant to today. It is a story not only about policy responses to new technology, but also a sustained, coordinated effort among industry groups, privacy advocates, and technology experts from across the political spectrum to push back against government policies that threatened online innovation and fundamental human rights.
http://www.newamerica.org/oti/doomed-to-repeat-history-lessons-from-the-crypto-wars-of-the-1990s/
[Also Covered By]: https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2015/06/history_of_the_.html
Original Submission
(Score: 5, Insightful) by stormwyrm on Wednesday June 24 2015, @05:53AM
I'm old enough to remember the Crypto Wars and after reading all of it (it's 42 pages and nearly half is endnotes so it's not that long) I think I can say that the article's probably the best summary of the events and policy debates that took place back then that I have seen. The conclusion is, however, somewhat naïve:
Very well said, but alas something has changed since the 1990s. Today, the US has a public that is so cowed by fear that they say to the FBI and the NSA, fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of the evil terrorists. It is harder to have reasoned public debate on this when the government is has an excuse to use Hermann Göring's famous aphorism: "All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger."
These days I have to wonder if the United States still deserves the epithet: "land of the free and home of the brave." When they stopped being the latter they also ceased being the former.
Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday June 24 2015, @10:19AM
Qu'on me donne six lignes écrites de la main du plus honnête homme, j'y trouverai de quoi le faire pendre.
Hey, look, it's some kind of code! At least I cannot understand it, so it must be code. Can any one break this code? (And before everyone goes bonkers, look up the "Windtalkers". Sometimes that is all it takes. Especially with Republicans.)
(Score: 2) by Kell on Wednesday June 24 2015, @11:45AM
It seems to be written in some strange dead language.
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by shrewdsheep on Wednesday June 24 2015, @11:17AM
And one more thing has changed. E-commerce and legally binding electronic communication is now integral to everyday life. These reliy on strong encryption and are international by now. So it is war-on-terror vs e-commerce and I believe that e-commerce will win (as in fear-mongering vs. deep pockets).