Major tech companies including Apple and Google and leading cryptologists are urging President Barack Obama to reject any government proposal that alters the security of smartphones and other communications devices so law enforcement can view decrypted data, The Washington Post reports. A coalition of more than 140 tech companies, technologists and civil society groups sent a letter Tuesday to the White House asking it protect privacy as it considers law enforcement’s need to access data that is increasingly encrypted, the report states. “Strong encryption is the cornerstone of the modern information economy’s security,” the letter said. Law enforcement, meanwhile, has been warning about threats to public safety if they can’t access data. (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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