The UK Home Secretary has announced his intention of introducing a plan to allow government access to encrypted communications. Cryptography experts have stated that any cryptography system in which a third party has the ability to view the original communication is inherently insecure. The Global Internet Liberty Campaign is a group of human rights, civil liberties, and Internet advocacy organisations which favours the unrestricted use of cryptography to protect personal privacy. We, We, the undersigned members of GILC, are dismayed to read that UK Home Secretary Jack Straw is considering the resurrection of an oft-criticised plan to provide government access to private communications by individuals and companies.
Encryption has a long tradition in the military defence field.
However, encryption technologies are increasingly integrated into commercial systems and applications and the exclusive character of encryption belongs to the past. Although the privacy of communications is explicitly protected by international agreements such as the European Convention on Human Rights, the UK Labour Party Government decided to change its plans on the regulation of encryption in Britain. It was announced in January 1998 that the UK Home Secretary, Jack Straw, is using Britain's six-month EU presidency to focus governmental attention on the wishes of law enforcement facing some new challenges in policing the information society. Jack Straw and other EU ministers desire that such agencies must have access to the encryption keys. They warned that unbreakable encryption systems would mean organised crime could pursue its activities unhindered.