WASHINGTON—The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) today released a statement from Daniel Castro, Itif vice president, welcoming the introduction of the ENCRYPT Act:

We commend Representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Blake Farenthold (R-TX) for introducing the ENCRYPT Act, which would ban states and localities from mandating that companies tamper with the security of their products and services so that government can get access to encrypted user data. The United States needs a uniform policy that encourages the use of encryption, not a patchwork of state policies trying to limit it. The digital economy transcends state lines, and U.S. policy should as well. If states go their own way on encryption policy, it would fragment the U.S. market and interfere with digital commerce. This has to be a national issue.

Advancements in encryption will undoubtedly impact how the government fights crime and terrorism, but attempts to limit encryption domestically are impractical, create new cyber security vulnerabilities, and make it more difficult for U.S. companies to compete abroad. The United States should be embracing strong encryption, not trying to cripple it.