The Secure Data Act is the Right Answer to the Encryption Backdoor Debate

Today, Reps. Lofgren (D, Calif.-19), Nadler (D, N.Y.-10), Lieu (D, Calif.-33), Massie (R, Ky.-4), Poe (R, Texas-2), and Gaetz (R, Fla.-1) introduced the Secure Data Act. New America’s Open Technology Institute strongly supports this bill, which is an improved version of what many of these sponsors introduced last Congress.

The Secure Data Act would prohibit the federal government from mandating or requesting that manufacturers, developers, or sellers of software and hardware weaken the security of their products with encryption backdoors. In addition, this improved version of the bill includes a provision that prohibits federal courts from compelling tech companies to weaken their products’ security to permit the government to conduct surveillance or to search a device.

The following statement can be attributed to Robyn Greene, Policy Counsel and Government Affairs Lead, New America’s Open Technology Institute:

“This bill could not come at a better time. Despite reports that tools giving law enforcement access to the contents of encrypted devices are increasingly available and affordable, the FBI and DOJ are unrelenting in their attacks on strong encryption. They are even touting Ray Ozzie’s dangerous and flawed proposal for key escrow. Ozzie’s proposal—or any proposal to intentionally weaken encryption—would threaten cybersecurity, the economy, and Americans’ privacy. The Secure Data Act would protect Americans against those dangerous policy outcomes.”