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.