US Senate panel releases draft of controversial encryption bill

Seeking opinion: Burr said in a statement that the public's input would be taken into account before introducing the bill.

WASHINGTON: Two US senators on Wednesday issued a formal draft of a controversial bill that would give courts the power to order technology companies like Apple to help authorities break into encrypted devices or communications for law enforcement or intelligence purposes.

The proposal arrives just days after an earlier draft leaked online and drew fire from security researchers and civil liberties advocates who warned it would undermine Internet security and expose personal data to hackers.