I have serious questions about whether any sophisticated criminal or terrorist organization is going to use the one code endorsed by the U.S. Government and for which U.S. Government agents hold the decoding keys … I am concerned about Clipper Chip’s impact on the competitiveness of our robust, high-tech industries. We must make sure that Clipper Chip will not impede American companies trying to market high-tech products overseas.
Predictor: Leahy, Patrick
Prediction, in context:In his May 1994 testimony at a Senate Technology and the Law Subcommittee hearing on the Clipper Chip Key Escrow Encryption program , Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) makes the following statement: ”I have serious questions about whether any sophisticated criminal or terrorist organization is going to use the one code endorsed by the U.S. Government and for which U.S. Government agents hold the decoding keys. There are a multitude of alternative encryption methods commercially available. If Clipper Chip does become the standard encryption method used by Americans, criminals may be forced to use Clipper to communicate with legitimate outsiderns, but this is a big ‘IF.’ Finally, I am concerned about Clipper Chip’s impact on the competitiveness of our robust, high-tech industries. We must make sure that Clipper Chip will not impede American companies trying to market high-tech products overseas. The Administration’s steps to reform some export restrictions on encryption and telecommunications technology is welcome. But the only encryption technology that will be permitted to be relatively freely exported is key escrow encryption products … The reaction overseas to Clipper Chip has serious implications for the ‘planetary information network’ Vice President Gore has cheered.”
Biography:Patrick Leahy was a U.S. Senate member who played an important role in Congressional discussions of the Internet in the 1990s. (Legislator/Politician/Lawyer.)
Date of prediction: May 3, 1994
Topic of prediction: Communication
Subtopic: Security/Encryption
Name of publication: Press Release
Title, headline, chapter name: Statement of Senator Patrick J. Leahy Chairman, Technology and the Law Subcommittee Hearing on the Administration’s Clipper Chip Key Escrow Encryption Program
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Key_escrow/Clipper/leahy_clipper_050394.testimony
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney