To the uninitiated, the issues seem arcane and complex.
Encryption is the actual process of hiding the message.
The recorded history of cryptography dates back almost 4,000 years, but until the computer age, the military and intelligence community enjoyed an exclusive monopoly. This discussion concerns the latter. For a somewhat entertaining introduction to the Clipper debate, read Jackboots on the Infobahn , by John Perry Barlow. Also check out the Cybertimes index of articles on encryption from the past several months. Some argue that the combination of strong, unbreakable cryptography and network communitiesin cyberspace will produce revolutionary changes in the nature of economic and social systems.