Whereas envelopes, mechanical keys and combination locks once did a great job, they are not applicable to electronic mail, money withdrawals from ATMs and credit card transactions. To maintain privacy and personal security in such a time of progress requires new tools. Encryption is one of them.
Encryption allows information to be translated into un-decipherable code.
Strong encryption software cannot be exported because foreign governments might use it to guard communications during times of war. So in the interest of preserving a U.S. military advantage, a new industry is barred from lucrative markets and personal privacy is jeopardized. Activists, businesses and legislators are trying to find a balance between the three priorities. On April 24, it launched the Golden Key Campaign that recommends relaxing export controls on encryption technology. The IPC Web site aims to educate Internet users about the Golden Key campaign and its underpinnings.