The results follow the submission to the US Senate of
anti-encryption proposals which call for a ban on any encryption
software that does not allow government agencies decoding
access.
The recent terrorist attacks have renewed the debate on encryption
and privacy issues in the US. Despite the survey’s findings that
the US public may be in favour of tighter encryption laws, another
study released this week by the US based Pew Research Center
claimed that 70% remain opposed to giving away their right to
privacy in telephone and e-mail communications. However, 55% of US
citizens questioned in the Pew survey did express the view that
some civil liberties would have to be curbed in order to prevent
future terrorism.
In response to growing concerns in the US that citizens’ privacy
may be at stake if proposed anti-terrorist surveillance legislation
does become law, a coalition of US public interest groups has been
formed called “In Defence of Public Freedom” to campaign against
surveillance legislation.
According to reports in the German newspaper Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung, the Echelon network apparently received advance
warning that Middle Eastern terrorists were planning to hijack
commercial aircraft to attack important symbols of American and
Israeli culture.
Echelon is an electronic communications surveillance network
believed to be run by the US government in co-operation with the
UK, Australia and New Zealand. Although nonoe of the governments of
these countries has confirmed or denied its existence, the European
Parliament recently said that it believes Echelon does exist and
operate and recommended that e-mail users encrypt confidential
communications if they wish to evade detection.
