This is mostly good news. A few thoughts: * The FBI-NSA-etc. axis already tried to ban nonescrowed crypto. This was in 1997, when far fewer products relied on

This is mostly good news. A few thoughts: * The FBI-NSA-etc. axis already tried to ban nonescrowed crypto. This was in 1997, when far fewer products relied on it, far fewer people used the Internet, and far fewer groups mobilized to oppose it. If even that effort failed, this one was likely to fail as well. * Excerpt from that 1997 proposal, which was actually approved(!) by a House of Representatives committee: "It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture for distribution, distribute, or import encryption products intended for sale or use in the United States, unless that product..." http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/T?&report=hr108p4&dbname=105& http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/T?&report=hr108p4&dbna... * I disclosed in 2012 that the FBI had drafted a proposed law to require backdoors; that legislation was never introduced, even as a placeholder. My 2012 article: http://www.cnet.com/news/fbi-we-need-wiretap-ready-web-sites-now/ http://www.cnet.com/news/fbi-we-need-wiretap-ready-web-sites... Of course the FBI's bill could be kept in reserve to become Patriot Act 2.0, just like the FBI-NSA-etc. axis had EPPSCA in reserve, which morphed into Patriot Act 1.0 a month after the 9/11 attacks, as I wrote about here: http://www.cnet.com/news/how-bin-laden-and-911-attacks-shaped-electronic-privacy/ http://www.cnet.com/news/how-bin-laden-and-911-attacks-shape... * If the legislative approach is now off the table, as the WashPost piece indicates, look for the FBI-NSA-etc. axis to try more creative approaches. "Oh, you want that $2 billion government contract? You want your new device to be FIPS 140-2 certified? How about that merger or FTC antitrust review? Environmental reviews? Trade? Taxes? It sure would be a shame if things didn't go your way. Maybe you can help us and we'll help you..." This is why it's worth supporting groups like EFF (I donated last year and need to again before the end of this year). They provide a moral argument that counters that of the Washington establishment--and also provides guidance for tech firms when they're faced with challenges like those above.