Sen. Gregg changes his mind, won't introduce anti-encryption bill

[Declan McCullagh]

----- Forwarded message from Declan McCullagh <declan at well.com> -----



http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,47635,00.html

   Senator Backs Off Backdoors
   By Declan McCullagh (declan at wired.com)
   2:00 a.m. Oct. 17, 2001 PDT
   
   WASHINGTON -- Sen. Judd Gregg has abruptly changed his mind and will
   no longer seek to insert backdoors into encryption products.
   
   A spokesman for the New Hampshire Republican said Tuesday that Gregg
   has "no intention" of introducing a bill to require government access
   to scrambled electronic or voice communications.
   
   "We are not working on an encryption bill and have no intention to,"
   spokesman Brian Hart said in an interview.
   
   Two days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Gregg strode onto the Senate
   floor and called for a global prohibition on data-scrambling products
   without backdoors for government surveillance. Gregg said that quick
   action was necessary "to get the information that allows us to
   anticipate and prevent what occurred in New York and in Washington."
   
   A few days later, Gregg told the Associated Press that he was
   preparing legislation "to give our law enforcement community more
   tools" to unscramble messages in hopes of fighting terrorists.

   [...]



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