Traditionally, email, data transfers and even credit card information on web forms were transferred over the Internet in a manner that were easily accessible to unauthorized 3rd parties. Digital signatures provide content validation and ownership.
Encryption provides secure file systems and databases.
Passwords and digital certificates provides user authentication. Secure protocols provide privacy of transactions. Content Rating provides automated user and parental control of content access, which minimizes the need to legislate blanket censorship on the Net. All of these components require encryption technology, which is tightly restricted by the US government. However, current government restrictions have made this technology less effective in the US than what is available in other technological countries.