WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — A bipartisan working group has been formed in the US House of Representatives to examine encryption standards and policy issues in the United States, the House Judiciary Committee said in a statement.
"The group will identify potential solutions that preserve the benefits of strong encryption — including the protection of Americans’ privacy and information security — while also ensuring law enforcement has the tools needed to keep us safe and prevent crime," the statement noted.
Working group members will be tasked with finding policy solutions that will allow US law enforcement agencies to prevent terrorist attacks and investigate crimes while ensuring encryption remains strong for US citizens and private organizations, the statement explained.
On Tuesday, FBI Assistant Director for Science and Technology Amy Hess said the agency needs to be able to access the content of secure communications in investigations as metadata is increasingly encrypted.
Tech companies, including Apple and Google, have opposed calls to create "backdoors" for law enforcement, which they say would jeopardize users’ security across all devices.
