INTELLIGENCE/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT: “The Justice Department put technology companies on notice Tuesday [10-10-17] that it intends to be more aggressive in seeking access to encrypted information on consumer devices, setting the stage for potential legal and legislative clashes in the tug of war between data privacy and public safety.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein issued the warning in a speech in Annapolis, Md., saying in prepared remarks that negotiating with technology companies hasn’t worked.
‘Warrant-proof encryption is not just a law enforcement problem,’ Mr. Rosenstein said in remarks to be delivered at a conference at the U.S. Naval Academy. ‘The public bears the cost. When our investigations of violent criminal organizations come to a halt because we cannot access a phone, even with a court order, lives may be lost.’
Mr. Rosenstein didn’t say what precise steps the Justice Department or Trump administration would take to address the issue, but it could include more action in court or a push for legislation. A Justice Department official said the speech was intended to spur public awareness and discussion of the issue because companies ‘have no incentive to address this on their own.’
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies have long complained that when they obtain cellphones or other devices from criminal or terrorism suspects they cannot access critical information even if they obtain a warrant.”
-Del Quentin Wilber, “Justice Department to Be More Aggressive in Seeking Encrypted Data,” The Wall Street Journal online, Oct. 10, 2017 12:03pm