US tech industry urges Obama to keep hands off encryption

Washington

AS Washington weighs new cybersecurity steps amid a public backlash over mass surveillance, US tech companies warned President Barack Obama not to weaken increasingly sophisticated encryption systems designed to protect consumers' privacy.

In a strongly worded letter to Mr Obama, two industry associations for major software and hardware companies said: "We are opposed to any policy actions or measures that would undermine encryption as an available and effective tool."