peterJul 27, 2023
Chris Wood

“The U.K. Government Is Very Close To Eroding Encryption Worldwide” -EFF

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/07/uk-government-very-close-eroding-encryption-worldwide

After reading this, I’m appalled that the UK government appears to be ignoring encryption experts with their Online Safety Bill and forcing the law through.

I’ve emailed all of the relevant representatives to give them my perspective. My message is in the comments in case you also wish to take action.

Contact Parliament about the OSB here: https://act.eff.org/action/tell-the-uk-s-house-of-lords-protect-end-to-end-encryption-in-the-online-safety-bill-9245a4fd-8ae0-4e46-a90c-ad64f743837e

#OnlineSafetyBill #tech

The U.K. Government Is Very Close To Eroding Encryption Worldwide 

The U.K. Parliament is pushing ahead with a sprawling internet regulation bill that will, among other things, undermine the privacy of people around the world. The Online Safety Bill, now at the final stage before passage in the House of Lords, gives the British government the ability to force backdoors into messaging services, which will destroy end-to-end encryption. No amendments have been accepted that would mitigate the bill’s most dangerous elements. If it passes, the Online Safety Bill will be a huge step backwards for global privacy, and democracy itself.

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Jul 27, 2023 at 7:59pmWeb
Show threadChris WoodJul 27, 2023

As the Online Safety Bill enters the House of Lords Committee Stage, I urge you to protect end-to-end encryption and the right to private messaging.

As a gay man, I sympathise with all of the other LGBTQ+ people around the world who face imprisonment, harassment and death just for being who they are. For them, sending something as simple as an unencrypted message can be a life sentence.

Show threadChris WoodJul 27, 2023
In any case, criminals have a vast number of channels to communicate on. Why play whack-a-mole in a losing game? There will always be another method of sending these photos to evade detection outside of mainstream messengers. There will NOT be other ways to easily and privately communicate with family and friends.
Show threadChris WoodJul 27, 2023
Why aren’t you investing taxpayers’ money to tackle child abuse as a societal problem which it is? Instead, you’re ensuring the vast majority of the UK population’s human right to a private conversation is broken. As a tech worker, I feel ashamed at the government’s inability to listen to the industry experts, and instead to listen to the snake oil being peddled by those with a vested interest.
Show threadChris WoodJul 27, 2023
Please protect users' right to privacy and confidential communication and support amendments that safeguard end-to-end encryption in the Online Safety Bill.