[Cryptography] Statement from Attorney General William P., Barr on Introduction of Lawful Access Bill in Senate

[Phillip Hallam-Baker]

On Wed, Jul 1, 2020 at 12:17 AM Bob Wilson <wilson at math.wisc.edu> wrote:

> Re:
> > Encryption has never been regulated internally for almost all purposes.
> (Ham radio can't use encryption, but that's not only just for radio, but
> internationally it was. Even here, there are complexities that I can't
> describe both succinctly and accurately.)
>  From what I have read the rule against encryption for hams (such as I
> am) was put in because around the time of WWI there was fear people (not
> just hams, if they are in fact people) were leaking information to
> Germany. Remember how much hatred of German emigres there was, leading
> people to change their names and quit speaking German where it had been
> the language spoken at home. I don't know whether there would be much
> opposition to removing the prohibition for hams now, but discussing that
> might lead us away into politics...
> Bob Wilson (WA9D)
>

The attempt to regulate use of codes is rather older and the concern was
commercial. The ITU was originally formed to co-ordinate regulations
preventing use of codes on telegraph systems.

The concern was purely commercial. Telegrams were priced by the word and
codes were used to reduce costs.

The prohibition on use of 'codes' in ham radio probably comes from the same
commercial concerns. Though by that time the anti-trust movement was
getting going and they might have needed to conceal their true motives.
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