In January, 1996, the US government announced that it would not prosecute Philip Zimmermann, inventor of PGP "pretty" good privacy," a computer encryption program].

The US Attorney responsible announced that his office has declined prosecution of any individuals in connection with the posting to USENET in June 1991 of the encryption program --in as "Pretty Good Privacy." The investigation has been closed.

Mr. Zimmermann thanked his attorneys, the "warriors" at the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR), and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for providing financial, legal, and moral support and for keeping the public informed He commented through his attorney that the government might have declined prosecution for fear that a court ruling would have declared the export-control law under which he was being charged unconstitutional.

More Cybernaut The New Frontier

What is a Cybernaut, Anyway?
Some Cybernaut Technology
Some Cybernaut Organizations
Tools of the of Trade
The Zimmerman Case
Discovery of a New Frontier
Game Rules