The Article 29 Working Group published its statement on encryption and their impact on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of their personal data in the EU.
The widespread use of services enabled by information and communication technologies has made encryption a critical and widely-used tool to help ensure that data are secured. Properly implemented encryption using appropriate algorithms offers a reasonable guarantee that activities like buying goods online, using banking services, etc. can be done securely.
Encryption also allows to conceal criminal activities. This presents a challenge for law enforcement agencies that seek to access communications or data in those cases.
Law enforcement agencies in EU Member States can be legally empowered in other ways to obtain access to data otherwise encrypted, including personal data, for investigations in targeted circumstances.
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