Phil Zimmermann Is Protecting Your Privacy!
Privacy rights are some of the most contentiously debated human rights. Most people in the United States and other free societies treat privacy as an innate human right, a position which comes into conflict with the views of other governments, agencies within the United States government, and Constitutional literalists (there is no explicit Freedom of Privacy guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution). As technology has improved, the debate over privacy rights has only become more divisive. That debate was what inspired Phil Zimmermann to create Pretty Good Privacy.
Phil Zimmermann is the creator and programmer of Pretty Good Privacy, the world’s most-used computer encryption program. When he created PGP, Zimmermann’s intent was to help ordinary citizens secure their e-mail and other digital communications the same way they used an envelope to protect their written communications when sending correspondences through traditional mail. While his superior encryption program had its intended goal of protecting correspondences, it had an entirely unforeseen consequence for Phil Zimmermann: he was investigated for arm’s trafficking as part of an obscure provision of a munitions export law!
Cryptography was an interest of Phil Zimmermann’s for his entire adult life. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Florida Atlantic University, Phil Zimmermann moved out to Boulder, Colorado to work as a software engineer. While maintaining his day job, he worked diligently on the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign. With his expertise in computer science, he became an asset to the movement in studying military policy. It was in studying military policy and trying to keep records secure that Zimmermann conceived of the need for a program like PGP.
Despite a three-year U.S. government investigation that resulted in not even a single criminal charge being filed against Phil Zimmermann Phil Zimmermann quickly rose to prominence in the tech sector as one of the world’s leading cryptographers. When a bill was filed in the U.S. Senate that would have compelled e-mail service providers to provide the Federal Government with a way to read any e-mails sent over their servers upon demand, Phil Zimmermann made PGP free to anyone in the United States. While Congress did not pass the Bill, or several subsequent ones, with the invasive provisions in them, Phil Zimmermann was deeply troubled by the attempt the government was making to get access to personal correspondences. Releasing PGP to the world for free was his attempt to make such a law ineffective.
Now, Phil Zimmermann is returning to the tech sector with a new company and product. As a co-founder of Silent Circle, Phil Zimmermann hopes to make e-mail, telephone communications, digital videos and all other forms of digital communication more secure. If anyone can pull off completely secure encryption protocols, it is Phil Zimmermann!
About RESCUECOM:
RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.
For More Information, Contact:
1-800-737-2837
CEO@rescuecom.com
Filed under: business, david milman, Internet, news, online resources, performance, rescuecom, security, technology