Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Senator Backs Down On Crypto Backdoors

Posted by timothy on from the feints-and-reversals dept.

evenprime writes: " Sen. Judd Gregg (Republican, New Hampshire) was advocating mandatory backdoors in crypto on Sept. 13. Wired is now reporting that Sen. Gregg has changed his mind. They say that Gregg's spokesman, Brian Hart, has said: 'We are not working on an encryption bill and have no intention to.'" As Rob Carlson is quoted at the article's close, though: "(Gregg) said he was definitely supporting it. Now he says he's definitely not. Maybe he'll say he's definitely supporting it again."

2 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. Perhaps by Green+Aardvark+House · · Score: 5, Interesting

    From the Wired article:

    I think if they put a crypto provision in this bill, it would have passed," Froomkin said. "Look at what the administration got."

    Froomkin was talking about additional eavesdropping and surveillance powers requested by the Bush administration, which the Senate and the House overwhelmingly voted for last week. That bill is called the USA Act.

    He backed off crypto backdoors because the government is going to get enhanced wiretapping powers, etc.

    It's a little give and take, but it's nice to see the "give" this time.

  2. Re:Letter writing (OT but interesting) by sulli · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Or send a fax. Faxes use the office's own paper - plus they're more attention-getting than snail mail.

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.