200 Companies, Organisations Worldwide Promote Stronger Encryption

By Jahan Harry Taubman-Rezakhanlou for Intellectual Property Watch

Nearly 200 organisations, companies and others from 42 countries have signed an open letter to the international community demanding that stronger encryption tools be allowed to be developed and used. The letter describes encryption tools and services as vital components of maintaining a secure digital environment, where if users are allowed to use the strongest forms of encryption it can allow for the safest and most efficient ways to communicate across borders.  

The letter, hosted on www.securetheinternet.org, also said that despite possible security concerns that individual governments may have, preventing the public from accessing strong encryption tools would have little reward.

Katie Moussouris, chief policy officer of HackerOne, stated that “laws to weaken encryption won’t stop terrorists from using strong crypto, but it will make everyone else on the Internet less safe (to cyber-attacks and other cyber-crimes).”

The letter further warned that if governments themselves are tempted into ‘eavesdropping’ into people’s personal cyber interactions they would be committing could be considered a violation of human rights.

Signers included Tech Freedom and Access Now, which also posted the letter and campaign here.