The FBI director James Comey is suggesting an international approach to solving the encryption debate. He proposes that the U. S. might work with other countries on a “framework” for creating legal access to encrypted tech devices.
FBI director James Comey has suggested that an international agreement between governments could ease fears about IT products with government-mandated backdoors, but privacy advocates are doubtful.
Speaking on Thursday, Comey suggested that the U. S. might work with other countries on a “framework” for creating legal access to encrypted tech devices.
“I could imagine a community of nations committed to the rule of law developing a set of norms, a framework, for when government access is appropriate,” he said on Thursday.
Comey made his comments at the University of Texas at Austin, when trying to address a key concern facing U. S. tech firms in the encryption debate: the fear that providing government access to their products might dampen their business abroad.
Critics have said this government access amounts to a “backdoor” into tech products that essentially weakens a device’s security, putting consumers at risk.
But another worry is the business impact. Customers might prefer non-U. S. products that don’t have law enforcement access.
On Thursday, Comey said: “I don’t want to be any part of chasing the innovation from this great country to other places.”
However, he said that other nations such as France, Germany and the U. K. are also trying to solve the problem faced by law enforcement access to encrypted data. That might result in “inconsistent standards” that hurt the U. S. companies, when it comes to their international business.
