Policy makers know that the Information Society will be built on these foundations. Governments may attempt to change policy in the future by legislation, but paradigmatic reform may be unenforceable, once a commercial and political grid, supporting an enormous weight of economic activity, is established internationally. The potential scope and efficiency of feasible surveillance apparatus is without precedent - conventional techniques are limited by practical constraints. Cryptography offers the possibility of erecting strong bulwarks to privacy, if we so choose. Although 'Big Brother' has entered the language as a reference point, an unfortunate codicil to Orwell's legacy is the common assumption and a resigned acceptance that the computer abolished privacy long ago.
Banks presently use encryption all around the world to process financial transactions.
However, because of US controls on the strength of encryption software that can be exported, browser versions for non-US use have designedly weak security which can be broken easily. The Hut Six Story, Gordon Welchmann. Its main purpose is to promote free speech and privacy on the Internet. It is a member of the Global Internet Liberty Campaign, and opposes the DTI encryption initiatives.