International Human Rights Organizations Express Privacy Concerns About Canadian Cryptography Policy

Tags: 1990s Global Human Rights

Authors: Electronic Frontier Canada

Published: April 1998

URL: http://www.efc.ca/pages/pr/efc-pr.27apr98.html

Abstract: On April 27, 1998, Electronic Frontier Canada, Canada’s leading online civil liberties group, issued a press release regarding the 23 civil liberty and human rights organizations—all members of the Global Internet Liberty Campaign—who signed a letter urging the Canadian government to liberalize its cryptography policy. The letter, which was issued in response to an Industry Canada report which listed possible scenarios for government regulation of encryption hardware and software, emphasized the freedom of expression, freedom of association, and privacy rights protected by cryptography. President of Electronic Frontier Canada, Dr. David Jones, delivered the letter to the Task Force on Electronic Commerce at a meeting hosted by Industry Canada.