The New York Times, July 12, 1998: Danger of Encryption To the Editor: Re "Privacy in the Digital Age" (editorial, July 6): No law enforcement agency is "trying hard to prevent the growing use of encryption." But encryption represents a serious public safety concern. We are open to any solution that recognizes that it is the ability to collect electronic evidence that has allowed us to prevent airliners from being bombed and to put major drug dealers behind bars. Key escrow is one possible solution. There are others, and certainly a statutory scheme can be devised that will all but eliminate any risk of abuse by law enforcement. But if we do not allow for court-ordered access, for the first time in the history of this country a court order for seizure of evidence will be an absolute nullity. We want to work with industry on a real solution, recognizing that those who acquire encryption over the Internet or from abroad naively make assumptions about the security it affords. We are not fighting encryption, but we know what will happen if technology cannot be made to work for law enforcement as it works for criminals and terrorists. Louis J. FREEH Dir., Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington, July 10,1998