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France rejects backdoor mandate

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Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#181
post #3

Just like for other big challenges like biodiversity and climate change, it feels like it often boils down to the politicians just not understanding enough to take rational decisions. Of course they can't all have a PhD in cryptography, but they should also not have no clue at all. Over an over again, politicians are asking for backdoors. To me it just proves that they don't understand the very basic of how encryptio…

The US have not become hostile. So far it has made two demands of Europe, and both of them are reasonable: 1. Europe should not rely entirely on the US for its defense (stated by Trump numerous times). 2. Europe should stop its mad self-destruction and descent into totalitarianism (stated by Vance on several occasions). Were they incorrect? Were they unreasonable? Sometimes you need a friend to tell you a harsh truth…

It is anecdotal but during Covid and the crypto boom I was chatting with someone living in France. He told me he was happy to have a few crypto since he has been using one of those exchange to buy illegal drugs.

Basically he told me that over there people just go on websites to order drugs, pay with crypto from a centralized crypto exchange and then have it delivered in they physical mailbox. And this is not the Silk road thing this is local business, shipped by the national postal service from an address in France from France.

I also read an article once saying drug stores on the internet and social media are very common over there.

My conclusion was that, selling most drugs had become de facto decriminalized in France.

Strangely France is also by far the country where I have been systematically harassed by the police and customs (at the frontier and within the country). They are very aggressive and it is to the point that I now avoid that country as much as possible.

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#182
post #3

Just like for other big challenges like biodiversity and climate change, it feels like it often boils down to the politicians just not understanding enough to take rational decisions. Of course they can't all have a PhD in cryptography, but they should also not have no clue at all. Over an over again, politicians are asking for backdoors. To me it just proves that they don't understand the very basic of how encryptio…

"the US have become hostile to Europe." 1. I don't believe that anything changed in recent months/years other than the US repeating the statement that maybe EU should take care of its own defense. Not exactly a new sign of "becoming hostile" IMO. 2. If this would even be true then they have always been hostile to Europe and only just recently started becoming honest and open about it (but again, I dont see any sign o…

They have alienated their allies for sure and this time it seems different and it seems that it will have a lasting impact. Including for tech companies.

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"the US have become hostile to Europe." 1. I don't believe that anything changed in recent months/years other than the US repeating the statement that maybe EU should take care of its own defense. Not exactly a new sign of "becoming hostile" IMO. 2. If this would even be true then they have always been hostile to Europe and only just recently started becoming honest and open about it (but again, I dont see any sign o…

Its just become harder to stick European heads in the sand. Is government agencies to. In the UK the NHS uses AWS, courts use Teams.... IT security is just ignored - its only recently that it occurred to the govt to remove Chinese cameras from sensitive sites. European militaries are heavily dependent on the US too and have a lot of equipment that is reliant on US supplies or can only be used in line with agreements…

Plus apparently there are things that only USA can currently do, awacs radar support and other recon I think

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#184
post #3

Just like for other big challenges like biodiversity and climate change, it feels like it often boils down to the politicians just not understanding enough to take rational decisions. Of course they can't all have a PhD in cryptography, but they should also not have no clue at all. Over an over again, politicians are asking for backdoors. To me it just proves that they don't understand the very basic of how encryptio…

>To me it just proves that they don't understand the very basic of how encryption works.

Chats being encrypted between multiple participants is a normal use case of cryptography. Giving limited government access can be part of a cryptoscheme and doesn't mean that encryption has to be disabled.

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would like to know what the public opinion on these issues is before blaming politician's ignorance, considering that to them the relevant knowledge is knowledge of what voters will support or tolerate. The impossible promise of backdoors that France can enter but no other country, organized criminal syndicate or petty government-employed stalker can find is only one impossible promise among the many we can hear fr…

French want less criminals and immigrants in the street. Whatever it takes. I'm french, i have not heard any people, work, street, even television or internet speak about that. The sad truth is that it wouldn't even solve the issue, criminals will always be able to use encrypted communications. there are open source software that can't be tampered with, software that doesn't use a single server where backdoor can be…

> French want less criminals and immigrants in the street. Whatever it takes.

If that were true, France would have a vastly different immigration policy. It would even have an explicit, drastic, and targeted emigration policy.

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#186
post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These aren't dumb people. They know exactly what they're asking for. Privacy and security of the public's data is not a priority to them, surveillance and power is. Politicians would much prefer all communication in plaintext, to hell with individual freedoms and privacy, especially European politicians that don't come from the same traditions of freedom as the anglophone countries. What politician do you expect to o…

I sort of agree with them. I want all privacy abolished for politicians. Think about it, if we live stream them in the shower we might get some much needed young people to take the job. Let them keep the ad revenue. Only fans suggests it should be the best paid job out there and the workers are all about public approval. no more naughty business!

That is not how it works. Politicians will vote for special measures for themselves, but citizens need to have their data easily presentable for inspection by government agencies. Think of the children/terrorists.

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#187

The backdoor mandate was part of an anti organized criminality law, Bruno Retailleau (interior minister) pretend criminals use encrypted chat to communicate and so backdoor is required to intercept their communications. makes sense to the average non tech people. The sad truth however is that it wouldn't even solve the issue, criminals will always be able to use encrypted communications: there are open source softwar…

>The backdoor mandate was part of an anti organized criminality law, Bruno Retailleau (interior minister) pretend criminals use encrypted chat to communicate and so backdoor is required to intercept their communications.

Terrorist attacks in Paris were coordinated using SMS and play station network.

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#188
post #3

Just like for other big challenges like biodiversity and climate change, it feels like it often boils down to the politicians just not understanding enough to take rational decisions. Of course they can't all have a PhD in cryptography, but they should also not have no clue at all. Over an over again, politicians are asking for backdoors. To me it just proves that they don't understand the very basic of how encryptio…

"the US have become hostile to Europe." 1. I don't believe that anything changed in recent months/years other than the US repeating the statement that maybe EU should take care of its own defense. Not exactly a new sign of "becoming hostile" IMO. 2. If this would even be true then they have always been hostile to Europe and only just recently started becoming honest and open about it (but again, I dont see any sign o…

[deleted]

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

France is in decay with incompetent and unpatriotic governments for decades. It is facing many issues but has lacked strong leadership courageous enough to put country first. So, in fact, it is a fairly typical European country... The spread of "narcotrafic" is an example of that, there are others. If you follow French news you'll see many.

> France is in decay with incompetent and unpatriotic governments for decades. What are you on about? What does the "unpatriotic" bit have to do with anything? > It is facing many issues but has lacked strong leadership courageous enough to put country first. Right. What would "putting country first" mean? France is doing what it wanted to do for decades, which is consolidating European power to its advantage. Is tha…

> the situation is quite clear: the country is safer than it has ever been

False.

https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/content/download/135975/107672...

Re: France rejects backdoor mandate

#190

I've found the original debates video on the National Assembly website. My French is good enough for that (not enough for cooking et al. though), so I believe I understood. I'm positively surprised by some deputies remarks. But Bruno (interior minister) Retailleau is either totally incompetent technically, with his advisors as well, or is a liar. "We will apply the math selectively, only for those that are a threat a…

France is in decay with incompetent and unpatriotic governments for decades. It is facing many issues but has lacked strong leadership courageous enough to put country first. So, in fact, it is a fairly typical European country... The spread of "narcotrafic" is an example of that, there are others. If you follow French news you'll see many.

I found the Front National guy!
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