A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers on Wednesday provided an update on the progress made by the encryption working group.
The coalition included U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and John Conyers (D-MI).
“We continue to meet with a variety of federal, state and local government entities, former government officials, private industry and trade associations, civil society organizations, consultants and legal experts, academia, and cryptographers,” the group said. “These meetings have produced critical information that has helped inform the working group as we seek solutions to this issue. They’ve helped identify common principles and we look forward to continuing our discussions to identify options for addressing this important public policy issue.”
The encryption working group was created earlier this year to examine the complicated legal and policy issues surrounding the encryption debate. The group is working to identify solutions that preserve the benefits of strong encryption, while also ensuring that law enforcement has the tools needed to keep the American people safe and prevent crime.
Through their meetings, the members concluded that encryption provided an overall positive for the American people, but that obstacles are still in the way for law enforcement stakeholders. Additionally, the members identified some opportunities for companies to enhance their training, education and support for law enforcement, and found that increased cooperation between law enforcement and the private sector could strengthen America’s abilities to fight cyber criminals.