Encryption in the U.S.: Crypto Colloquium Outcomes Report
Tags: 2010s Access Now Backdoors Economic Impact National Security Primer
Published: January 2018
Abstract: In September of 2017, Access Now, a non-profit dedicated to human rights advocacy in the digital age, hosted the Crypto Colloquium—an invite-only dialogue of civil society, academic experts, technology companies and former U.S. government officials—to discuss challenges associated with U.S. government agencies’ inability to access information on encrypted mobile phones. The Report, produced by Access Now, provides a summary of the key takeaways from the Colloquium, including a section on the “Lessons Learned” in each of the Law and Policy, Security, and Economics sectors. The Report also features a list of “Unanswered Questions” prompted by the discussions at the Colloquium. Stakeholders who participated in the Colloquium agreed almost unanimously that any developed solution “would likely be effective for only a minimal time, would be substantially costly, and might harm security in general.” The Colloquium Outcomes Report closes with a general consensus that while more research is needed to produce concrete data points, an exceptional access regime is likely unadvisable.