The Encryption Tightrope

New methods of electronic communication have transformed our society, most visibly by enabling ubiquitous digital communications and facilitating broad e-commerce. As such, it is important for our global economy and our national security to have strong encryption standards. Many companies have been responding to a market demand for products and services that protect the privacy and security of their customers. The benefits of our increasingly digital lives, however, have been accompanied by new dangers. Malicious actors can take advantage of the Internet to covertly plot violent robberies, murders, and kidnappings; sex offenders can establish virtual communities to buy, sell, and encourage the creation of new depictions of horrific sexual abuse of children; and individuals, organized criminal networks, and nation-states can exploit weaknesses in our cyber-defenses to steal our sensitive, personal information. When changes in technology hinder law enforcement's ability to exercise investigative tools and follow critical leads, we may not, among other things, be able to root out the child predators hiding in the shadows of the Internet, or identify and stop terrorists who are using social media to recruit, plan, and execute an attack in our country.