Viewpoint: Yes, while it's true that data encryption protects and furthers important civil liberties, it also poses a threat to public safety.

Viewpoint: No, private strong encryption contributes to American society by safeguarding basic rights, personal information, and intellectual exchanges. It protects individuals from over-zealous law enforcement agencies.

The increasing sophistication, interconnectedness, and ubiquity of communication and computer technologies have made information society's most valuable commodity. Protecting information is of vital importance to commerce, government, and private citizens. Technologies such as the Internet, which has greatly facilitated the transaction and exchange of all kinds of information, require a high level of protection to keep these exchanges secure and private. Coding and encrypting information has traditionally been the province of spies and their governments. Today, it is a part of everyday life for...