Freedom of Encryption

Legislation surrounding digital privacy has seen quite an upheaval in recent years. The introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU, and new resolutions within the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) have recognized the urgency to include recommendations on the use of encryption to protect the digital identities of citizens. In this work, we meander through the main events in history which have shaped the legislative landscape that encompasses the use of encryption, paying particular attention to recent (post-Snowden) developments.