Overview
Phil Zimmermann explains his motivations for creating PGP, highlighting the increasing threats to personal privacy in the digital age and the importance of accessible strong cryptography for protecting civil liberties.
The Erosion of Privacy
- Electronic communications, unlike past private conversations, are now vulnerable to easy and undetectable surveillance.
- The shift from labor-intensive mail or phone interception to automated, large-scale monitoring has made privacy breaches more practical and widespread.
- Routine, automatic scanning of email and potential for mass wiretapping signal a risk of Orwellian surveillance.
The Importance of Encryption
- Privacy is a fundamental right, akin to using envelopes for physical mail instead of postcards.
- Widespread use of encryption normalizes privacy and protects individuals from suspicion or targeting.
- Strong cryptography serves as the only effective counter to expanding surveillance capabilities.
Legislative Threats to Privacy
- Senate Bill 266 proposed mandatory “trap doors” in secure communications, prompting Zimmermann to release PGP freely.
- The 1994 CALEA law mandated wiretap-ready phone systems, setting a precedent for scalable surveillance infrastructure.
- Subsequent FBI proposals for massive wiretapping capacities were met with public and legislative resistance but revealed government intentions.
Cryptography and the Government
- Government export controls and initiatives like the Clipper chip aimed to control or weaken civilian cryptography.
- Public and industry opposition prevented mandatory Clipper chip adoption and checked similar initiatives temporarily.
- Historical government misuse of surveillance powers eroded public trust and underscored the need for independent privacy protections.
The Role and Impact of PGP
- Popularizing the use of strong cryptography like PGP makes it harder for governments to criminalize privacy measures.
- The 1999 policy shift allowed for unrestricted export of strong cryptography, marking a partial victory for privacy advocates.
- Continued deployment and normalization of strong cryptography remain essential to counter ongoing and future surveillance threats.
Closing Thoughts
- PGP empowers individuals to control their privacy amid growing surveillance pressures.
- Zimmermann wrote PGP to address an urgent social need for accessible, effective privacy tools.