After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, getting information through firewalls and past the eyes of censors has become a major concern for both Ukrainians and those Russians critical of Putin's regime. That encryption has emerged as an important tool should surprise exactly nobody who has paid any attention to the evolving efforts of activists, journalists, and private citizens to escape the notice of thuggish rulers. That's a lesson to take to heart not just for people overseas, but also here at home.
"Secure, encrypted communications give people the power to organize and access information that authoritarian regimes don't want seen," Sen. Ron Wyden (D–Ore.) tweeted March 3. "End-to-end encryption is life or death for people living in authoritarian countries like Russia, China, or Saudi Arabia."
