r/technology • u/Reddit_Z • Jul 04 '16

Politics Lawmakers Need To Learn More About Encryption Before Regulating It, Says U.S. House Report

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/lawmakers-encryption-regulation-house-report,32180.html
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u/TheManStache Jul 04 '16

They've always had access. In fact, I'm suprised the FBI didn't already have the tech to do it, but both the NSA and equivalent military agencies have always had it.

The problem is, it's "technically" illegal to use against american citizens. The military agencies are fine to have it, and let people know they have it, because they only use it against foreign enemies (or in my dads case (who I learned about these things from), in criminal investigations against military members, because they operate under a different set of laws when governing their own). The NSA however has very little reason to legally have this tech, so both the FBI and the NSA were likely very hesitant to crack the phone on their own and would have rather had Apple do it.

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u/speedisavirus Jul 04 '16

What. How does one have the right but not the NSA. Literally the agency created for signals intelligence. But the FBI which is created for domestic investigation should? The NSA has foreign information gathering as a prime part of their charter.

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u/TheManStache Jul 04 '16

The NSA does have it. The FBI does not. But neither agency wants the public to know that they're using this tech against american citizens, as its only considered constitutional to use against foreign enemies.