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0 pointszzzcpan9y ago0 comments

"Even if the British government is successful with WhatsApp, can they do much against free, open source tools?"

Why would they care about open source tools and niche use of encryption? Of course they don't. They are after mass surveillance and use fear of terrorism to push for it. It's very logical of them.

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dawnerd9y ago

I feel countries will ultimately make it a crime to use any non approved encryption.

Stranger439y ago

The UK actually tried to enforce key escrow as far back and 1999(http://www.cyber-rights.org/crypto/ukpolicy.htm). But backed down due to conflicts with EU law.

It's not entirely by accident that the UK current ramp up of legalized government surveillance coincide with Brexit, as the UK doesn't actually have a democratic constitution limiting government surveillance outside of the ECHR treaty they signed as a prerequisite for joining the EU/EEC.

stordoff9y ago

> ECHR treaty they signed as a prerequisite for joining the EU/EEC

The UK signed the ECHR in 1950 (and were involved in writing it); the EEC did not exist until 1957.

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