Encryption might be useful, but it might also be the tell-tale heart. Afterall, the original railroad used a kind of 'encryption' (the whole railroad metaphor was part of this) but by no means was it the key to making it happen ("make it possible"). What it took then, and my point of what I think it takes now, is a combination of will and action -- not some technological parlor trick.
In fact, one might argue that key to accomplishing such a feat today would be to stay away from the data networks.
Food for thought,
/jordan