In 2015, Terrorist Attacks Intensified the Debate Over Encryption

The terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino (CA) changed the nature of the encryption debate. Law enforcement has been criticizing Apple and Google for more than a year, warning that the decision to encrypt smartphones would hinder criminal investigations by blocking access to the data stored on these devices. The change followed disclosures by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden who revealed the extent of the US government’s programs to spy on its citizens. But that knowledge didn’t deter FBI Director James Comey, who argued such digital tools would be a boon to child pornographers, kidnappers and other bad actors looking to cover their tracks. The back-to-back mass murders altered the conversation in Washington (DC), and beyond.