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Definition: responsible encryption


A proposal by the U.S. Justice Department in 2017 that suggests encrypted content should be able to be decrypted by the government when investigating criminal cases. Cryptographic techniques would have to be redesigned with a special decryption method used only by government agencies (a "back door"). Very controversial, privacy advocates insist this is a huge "Big Brother" overreach, whereas proponents claim that unbreakable, secret encryption is a strong enabler of terrorism and other clandestine affairs.

It All Could Change in the Future
Quantum computer experts claim that when quantum computing becomes mainstream, all current secret encryption keys will be breakable within minutes. That would be a totally new ball game. See cryptography, back door and quantum computing.