InfoWorld: Blair backs down on U.K. key-escrow encryption

"In a major reversal, the U.K. Prime Minister's office has decided to drop a proposal that would have required anyone sending an encrypted message to supply the means to unscramble the message to a third party or the police."

"Prime Minister Tony Blair said in a statement Wednesday that the government and Britain's IT industry have a joint strategy that "strikes that balance between protecting society from criminals and creating the best environment in the world to do e-business."

"Blair, who has often stated that he wants Britain to lead the world in electronic commerce, had come under criticism for his proposal for a key-escrow system to prevent online fraud and allow police to monitor Internet criminals."

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