Re: Sauce for the goose...
it is undeniable that encryption is just as powerful a tool for baddies as it it can (with difficulty) be a tool for goodies.
So what?
I have a hunting knife I use for camping. In an emergency I can use it to help me build a shelter, start a fire, hunt for food, dig to make an oven, chop firewood for warmth etc etc etc Its a very useful tool. Innercity yoot scumbags seem to be able to find nothing better to do with that tool than gut each other.
So what does the law do? Criminalise everyone with such a knife unless they can pass a vague and arbitrary spot decision by a single police officer that they have a reason to be carrying it. I don't carry mine when I go to work, obviously, but if it falls out of the bag into the boot of my car, I can be convicted of having it without reason when I'm driving home from Tesco.
We've legislated for the lowest available denominator and left most of the country, who would never dream of shoving a knife into someone else, at risk of a serious criminal record (and jail time) for making a mistake. Or for misunderstanding the precise length of nonlocking blade their Leatherman is allowed to have. Meanwhile, the criminal scum carry on shanking each other because they carried on taking knives with them every day.
Banning strong encryption will achieve the same thing. Ordinary citizens will be at greater risk of fraud, blackmail, etc and the terrorists will carry on using the pre-existing strong encryption.