Efforts to Ban Encryption in the 1990s

Tags: 1990s Crypto Wars Crypto Wars I

Authors: Electronic Privacy Information Center

Published: 1995

URL: https://www.epic.org/crypto/ban/

Abstract: The Electronic Privacy Information Center published an article about the efforts of the federal government, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to ban encryption in the 1990s. At the time, various law enforcement federal agencies believed that a Clipper Chip type of encryption must be required in the United States. The article lists comments made by law enforcement and technology companies, federal agency documents, transcripts of congressional testimony, and proposed legislation to ban encryption.