The UK Government has postponed the release of new regulations controlling encryption on the Internet, a move that has sparked a furore in the technology community.
Encryption is the technology used to protect information sent over the Internet.
However, the DTI denies that he made such a statement and says the postponement of the announcement has nothing to do with rumours on the Net. The reason the announcement was postponed is because it is a very complex issue and we want to get it right. Nevertheless, speculation is rife that the overwhelming opposition to encryption regulations from the business, civil liberties and technology communities have forced the DTI to re-consider its policy. But in January, the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, agreed with other EU justice ministers to consider a key-escrow policy, which would allow law enforcement agencies access to the computer codes used to scramble information. The ministers believe such access is necessary to crack down on organised crime that may use the Internet to conduct their activities in secret.