Representatives from Silicon Valley and law enforcement agencies across the country have met with lawmakers in Washington this spring to spur the government to greater action regarding encryption, The New York Times reports. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. told members of Congress that 230 iPhones in his office’s possession were “useless” to cases due to encryption techniques. Google and Apple leaders later argued that encryption was necessary for security. “This is an escalating fight,” said Information Technology and Innovation Foundation President Robert Atkinson calling encryption “the focus now in Washington.” Meanwhile, TechCrunch contributors, Steven Renderos and Mark Tseng Putterman exhort presidential candidates to embrace strong encryption as a matter of civil rights. “For activists and people of color, strong encryption is essential,” he said. (Registration may be required to access this story.) Editor’s Note: Angelique Carson, CIPP/US, discussed racism and surveillance in a piece for The Privacy Advisor.
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