Encryption Debate

I was pleased to read that VICA, the Valley’s leading business organization, opposes the federal government’s attempt to require mandatory “key recovery” systems on encryption devices. (“Decoding the Encryption Debate,” June 1).

We are nearing an age of electronic privacy, where people and business can communicate easily and confidentially with each other. Unfortunately the government is disturbed that it won’t be able to read our messages.

The government claims that sufficient protection will be provided against unauthorized disclosure of the keys. Surely there is no secret the government wants to keep more than the names of its spies in the highest level of the Russian government. As we know, for less than $2 million the Russians were able to buy that information. Certainly the ability to intercept the private communications of our people is worth at least that much to someone engaging in industrial espionage, and will prove equally vulnerable.

ERIC W. ROSEThousand Oaks