Facebook, WhatsApp Will Have to Share Messages With U.K.?

> Social media platforms based in the U.S. including Facebook and WhatsApp will be forced to share users’ encrypted messages with British police under a new treaty between the two countries, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp Will Have to Share Messages With U.K.?

#5

Post by Nextgrid » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 3:02 PM UTC

Curious what this means for other end-to-end encrypted services such as iMessage.

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp Will Have to Share Messages With U.K.?

#6

Post by bobthepanda » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 3:03 PM UTC

The title is editorialized - it's not just Whatsapp, it's all social media platforms.

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp Will Have to Share Messages With U.K.?

#7

Post by alehul » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 3:04 PM UTC

ga-vu wrote: post #3

TFA says just UK...

> under a new treaty between the two countries

> The U.K. and the U.S. have agreed not to investigate each other’s citizens as part of the deal

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp Will Have to Share Messages With U.K.?

#8

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 3:04 PM UTC

ga-vu wrote: post #3

TFA says just UK...

[deleted]

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp Will Have to Share Messages With U.K.?

#9

Post by superkuh » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 3:04 PM UTC

Nextgrid wrote: post #5

Curious what this means for other end-to-end encrypted services such as iMessage.

Or any of the innumberable actually secure messaging solutions that aren't centralized in one easily manipulated company.

I suppose they'll just pass the laws(?) making it all illegal but only enforce it when it's politically useful or if someone rocks the boat.

Re: Facebook, WhatsApp Will Have to Share Messages With U.K.?

#10

Post by i_am_proteus » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 3:05 PM UTC

Nextgrid wrote: post #5

Curious what this means for other end-to-end encrypted services such as iMessage.

I'm equally curious what this means for Signal and any other open-source encrypted services.

In the US, ITAR could hypothetically be used to make open-sourcing of cryptographic algorithms illegal. This technique is used for robotics software that could be dual-purposed for weapons guidance.