ARTICLE · 08 OCTOBER 1997

1997 Encryption Legislation

Steptoe LLP

Contributor

Steptoe LLP

Steptoe LLP

Steptoe International (UK) LLP has built a strong reputation for providing top-quality regulatory,...

View firm profile

Explore more from Steptoe LLP

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Name and Bill Number: Security and Freedom Through Encryption (SAFE) Act (H.R. 695)

Principal Sponsor: Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)

Summary

Freedom to use any type of encryption to secure data in the US.

Additional criminal penalties are impose for intentionally using encryption to commit or conceal a felony.

Free exportability is allowed for all mass market or public domain encryption software, as well as all hardware that merely incorporates such software, regardless of algorithm or key length.

For non-mass market encryption, any product approved for export to foreign banks would be exportable for all nonmilitary uses unless the Commerce Department finds substantial evidence that the encryption would be diverted to a military or terrorist end use or re-exported contrary to US law.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

FCC Modifies Revocation Request Rules For Informational Robocalls

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Dickinson Wright PLLC

Deal Structuring For Agentic Managed Services

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Key Contract Issues For Agentic Managed Services

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

You Believe What You See, And This Election Is Built Around It

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Jones Walker LLP

Automated Decisions: State Requirements And Federal Challenges

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

Comparative Guide

Sports Law

Comparative Guide

Pharmaceutical Advertising

Comparative Guide

Advertising & Marketing

See more popular content from

Media, Telecoms, IT, EntertainmentSteptoe LLP

Commercial PACE Financing On A Roll: $103 Million C-PACE Loan For Chinese Hospital In San Francisco

C-PACE lending has become an important and fast-growing sub-specialty in our hotel finance capabilities. We work with C-PACE providers/lenders and borrowers.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Jeffer Mangels & Mitchell LLP

California Requires Disclosure Of AI-Generated People In Advertising

California has enacted a groundbreaking AI disclosure law requiring advertisers to clearly identify when synthetic performers appear in their marketing materials. The legislation, set to take effect in 2027, includes a private right of enforcement that could potentially open the door to class action litigation against brands using AI-generated performers without proper disclosure.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Class Certification Denied In Fax Lawsuit

In a fax lawsuit involving allegations against AT&T Mobility LLC and AT&T Mobility National Accounts LLC ("AT&T") for violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"),

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Klein Moynihan Turco LLP

What You Need To Know About CBRS

The Citizens Broadband Radio Service, also known as CBRS, has drawn little media attention compared to 5G cellular, but it is starting to get some traction with carriers, ISPs, and enterprise customers.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Levine, Blaszak, Block & Boothby

FCC Expands Supply Chain Bans, Implicating Online Marketplaces And Clarifying Covered List Rules

On July 22, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopted a Third Report and Order and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (covered separately here) in which the Commission advances its ongoing efforts to secure the U.S.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Adam’s Law: California Raises The Bar For Child Chatbot Protections

On September 10, 2026, Governor Newsom signed SB 1119, known as Adam’s Law, substantially expanding California’s requirements for companion chatbots when used by children.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

FCC Revises TCPA Consent Revocation Rules: Exclusive Opt-Out Methods, Category-Specific Revocations, And Other Key Changes

The Federal Communications Commission has unanimously approved sweeping changes to its Telephone Consumer Protection Act consent revocation rules, fundamentally altering how businesses must handle consumer opt-out requests for calls and texts. These new regulations replace the controversial 2024 "revoke all" rule with more flexible options that allow companies to designate exclusive opt-out methods while distinguishing between marketing and informational messages.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

FCC Tightens Equipment Rules

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted sweeping new restrictions targeting equipment containing components from entities on its Covered List, fundamentally reshaping how manufacturers, online marketplaces, and equipment modifiers must approach FCC compliance. These rules establish unprecedented prohibitions on logic-bearing hardware components, impose strict display requirements for e-commerce platforms, and clarify when existing authorizations can support equipment modifications.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

California’s New AI Law: Implications For Lawyers And EDiscovery Teams

California's new Senate Bill 574 introduces statutory duties for attorneys using generative AI, including mandatory citation verification and court disclosure requirements starting January 1, 2027. The law raises critical questions about how these obligations extend to AI-assisted eDiscovery review and document summarization that feed into court filings.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Arnold & Porter

Nationwide EAS Test Coming November 17, 2026

FEMA and the FCC will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System on November 17, 2026, requiring participation from all radio and television stations, cable systems, and satellite services. EAS Participants must file three separate forms through the EAS Test Reporting System, with specific deadlines ranging from October 30, 2026, through January 2027. Certain translator and repeater stations are exempt from the registration and filing requirements.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

FCC Tightens Equipment Rules

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted sweeping new restrictions targeting equipment containing components from entities on its Covered List, fundamentally reshaping how manufacturers, online marketplaces, and equipment modifiers must approach FCC compliance. These rules establish unprecedented prohibitions on logic-bearing hardware components, impose strict display requirements for e-commerce platforms, and clarify when existing authorizations can support equipment modifications.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Sanctions Update: October 19, 2026

This comprehensive sanctions update examines the US delisting of Venezuelan politician Jorge Rodriguez amid diplomatic negotiations and energy sector expansion, while tracking global sanctions developments including new US restrictions on Iranian banks, UK measures targeting hostile Iranian activities, EU designations for sanctions circumvention, and China's proposed export controls on advanced technologies.

GlobalGovernment, Public Sector

Sanctions Update: September 8, 2026

The Trump administration's Venezuela oil deal and expanded General Licenses have opened unprecedented opportunities for multinationals to invest in Venezuela's energy, mining, and telecommunications sectors, while simultaneously launching "Operation Economic Outcast" to impose crushing economic pressure on Iran.

United StatesInternational Law

FCC Proposes New Geographic Limits On Equipment Testing

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released a draft order that would end recognition of equipment testing laboratories in mainland China and other countries lacking reciprocal arrangements with the United States.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Weekly Sanctions Update: October 13, 2026

The US has authorized Russian diesel imports while simultaneously expanding sanctions against the International Criminal Court and Iran's shadow fleet. These developments highlight tensions between energy security concerns and sanctions enforcement, as international partners express divergence over US policy directions.

GlobalGovernment, Public Sector

Sanctions Update: October 26, 2026

This comprehensive sanctions update examines the US Department of Homeland Security's exclusion order on DeepSeek AI products across federal agencies, exploring implications for US-China tech competition and potential escalation in AI controls. The analysis covers recent international sanctions developments including Iran's shadow fleet network, intellectual property theft enforcement, and evolving regulatory measures across US, EU, and Asia-Pacific jurisdictions.

GlobalGovernment, Public Sector

The Analysts' Brief: The US-Russia Diesel Deal

The Trump administration's October 2025 diesel deal with Russia promises temporary sanctions relief to ease US fuel prices before midterm elections, but analysts question whether the limited supply will meaningfully impact global markets or represent a lasting shift in US-Russia relations. The agreement has already strained transatlantic partnerships and US-Ukraine cooperation while raising compliance uncertainties for businesses navigating evolving sanctions regimes.

GlobalGovernment, Public Sector

Weekly Sanctions Update: September 14, 2026

The Treasury Department intensifies economic pressure on Iran through Operation Economic Outcast, suspending aviation licenses and sanctioning dozens of entities while implementing a presumption of denial for Iran-related transactions. Meanwhile, new enforcement actions target Chinese cybercrime platforms, Ecuadorian terrorist organizations, and Israeli settlers, as Congress considers comprehensive Russia-Iran sanctions legislation.

GlobalGovernment, Public Sector

Weekly Sanctions Update: October 26, 2026

The U.S. Treasury expands Operation Economic Outcast with new sanctions targeting Iran's shadow fleet network, while simultaneously deploying intellectual property theft sanctions against Chinese entities under PAIPA. These coordinated enforcement actions demonstrate escalating use of economic sanctions as a tool to counter both state-sponsored sanctions evasion and technology transfer threats.

GlobalGovernment, Public Sector

UK Expands Designations Of All Subject To Asset Freeze Sanctions Under The Russia Regime To Include A Ban On The Provision Of Trust Services

On March 21, 2023, HM Treasury's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation ("OFSI") designated all individuals and entities that currently are subject to an asset freeze under the Russia (Sanctions)...

United KingdomInternational Law