Mullvad VPNDec 19

The war on privacy and encryption goes on. This time in the UK. Under the “Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill”, lawmakers now want client-side scanning on every phone and tablet.

The lawmakers write: “Any relevant device supplied for use in the UK must have installed tamper-proof system software which is highly effective at preventing the recording, transmitting (by any means, including livestreaming) and viewing of CSAM using that device.”

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Show threadMullvad VPNDec 19

Once again, they use “what about the children”, this time to install state spyware that would continuously scan every action on a phone or tablet and watch everything that is shown on the screen. This will effectively ban end-to-end encrypted communication and open source operating systems like GrapheneOS and forbid that people have administrator rights on their own devices.

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Show threadMullvad VPNDec 19

The bill also seeks “Action to prohibit the provision of VPN services to children in the United Kingdom” and wants “all regulated user-to-user services to use highly-effective age assurance measures to prevent children under the age of 16 from becoming or being users.” In practice, this means identity checks for VPN users, making things like anonymous whistleblowing difficult.

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Show threadMullvad VPNDec 19

The attack on secure and private communication is worldwide. Now is the time for resistance. Demand transparency from your politicians, and privacy for the people.

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HistoPol (#HP) 🏴 🇺🇸 🏴3d ago
Show threadAbel Gonzalez
@mullvadnet The proposal frames child protection as a device-level control, but that shifts enforcement into universal surveillance with predictable impacts on encryption, open-source systems, and lawful anonymity. The key issue is whether such measures can be narrowly effective without normalizing continuous monitoring for everyone.
Dec 19 at 6:24pmWeb
Show threadMe (for now)Dec 19
@abelbitez @mullvadnet Exactly. We won't lose our freedom of privacy in one fell swoop, but in little chips like this. The whole bill may not pass, but a little will. Then a little more, until eventually, everyone is controlled by Big Brother
Show threadAbel GonzalezDec 19
@i_listen @mullvadnet If partial measures pass, each exception becomes precedent, shifting privacy from a right to a permission. At what point does accumulated “narrow” monitoring become de facto universal oversight?
Show threadAndreas KDec 19

@abelbitez
And it's that normalisation that is the most individuals aspect.

You think that other regimes will not use the fact that nice first world places like the UK forced spy ware onto devices not as argument that their spy ware needs to be installed too?

And notice there is nothing that limits these places from spying on UK citizens in the UK or even HMG.

Oh you thought only the UK can dictate to the tech bros?
@mullvadnet

Show threadAbel GonzalezDec 19
@yacc143 @mullvadnet If “trusted democracies” mandate device spyware, it lowers the argument barrier for everyone else and erodes sovereignty over user devices. Where is the enforceable line that stops precedent from becoming global default?