Fascinating discussion at MIT led by GCHQ Director Robert Hannigan. I agree with the Director– there are no simple answers. The discourse surrounding this issue will continue to develop on a case-by-case basis. –Ed
Head of Britain tech security agency backs encryption
By Hiawatha Bray THE BOSTON GLOBE STAFF
The director of GCHQ, the super-secret British equivalent of America’s National Security Agency, said on Monday that his country doesn’t want to weaken the encryption features in smartphones and computers, to make it easier to track terrorists and criminals.
While refusing to weigh in on the fight between Apple Inc., and the US government, Robert Hannigan urged technology companies and governments to instead develop a joint strategy that will provide police and intelligence agencies the data they need, while preserving the public’s right to digital privacy.