A new detail has emerged about the bombing in Paris: the terrorists were not using encrypted messaging applications as previously suspected, but rather burners, or temporary phones meant to be thrown out and replaced frequently, to escape surveillance. Newly reviewed security footage, along with already collected metadata, suggests each member of the group sent fully encrypted messages disposable phones not tied to their names.
While this in itself is not hugely important, the Paris attack last fall, among other events, has been used as a central point in the argument against commercial and consumer access to what is effectively un-breakable encryption. Proponents argue it puts too much power in the hands of criminals to be able to so effectively evade observation, and opponents say removing this technology from the people's hands would not only be a violation of privacy, but also a massive security threat should a backdoor be implemented (there is certainly a president for government secrets getting out, with examples ranging from copies of TSA master keys being easily available online to nuclear secrets being stolen by other nations)
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/03/paris-terrorist-attacks-burner-phones-not-encryption/
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