Policy · 2h ago
The 1990s Encryption War That Shaped Digital Privacy
Between 1994 and 1996, a conflict erupted over encryption and data sovereignty, pitting Cypherpunks and tech architects against intelligence agencies. The battle centered on whether the internet would enable decentralized privacy or state surveillance. This struggle, rooted in earlier network designs like ARPANET and the failed Soviet OGAS system, defined modern digital rights.
Meridian48 take
This historical account is a useful primer on the ideological origins of today's encryption debates, but it overstates the conflict's immediate impact—the real encryption wars continued well beyond 1996.
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The Encryption Conflict (1994-1996): The Battle for Data Sovereignty →
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