Is it really worth leaving a thoughtful comment about such an ignorant statement?
It's clear to me that these people have no idea what encryption actually is and only have a cursory understanding of what it does. They're aware that criminals and terrorists can use encryption to communicate covertly. That's why they want to ban it. Are they also aware that the exact same technology is used to protect their online banking? To protect against attacks like the Sony hack? Do they know that there is a huge segment of the economy that relies on strong encryption to do business?
It's pretty clear at this point that they don't care about privacy. Perhaps if the ramifications are explained to them in a different way they would be more open to dissenting points of view.
EDIT: The recent news stories have motivated me to renew my support for the EFF. I'd encourage anyone with disposable income to do the same.
It's clear to me that these people have no idea what encryption actually is and only have a cursory understanding of what it does. They're aware that criminals and terrorists can use encryption to communicate covertly. That's why they want to ban it. Are they also aware that the exact same technology is used to protect their online banking? To protect against attacks like the Sony hack? Do they know that there is a huge segment of the economy that relies on strong encryption to do business?
It's pretty clear at this point that they don't care about privacy. Perhaps if the ramifications are explained to them in a different way they would be more open to dissenting points of view.
EDIT: The recent news stories have motivated me to renew my support for the EFF. I'd encourage anyone with disposable income to do the same.