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UK government plans publicity blitz against encrypted communications

rollingstone.com

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Re: UK government plans publicity blitz against encrypted communications

#21

Post by FabHK »

323 wrote: post #7

A more effective approach would be to highlight how the far-right uses encrypted chat apps. That would get the majority of the media and blue-checks supporting you. > Why right-wing extremists’ favorite new platform is so dangerous. Telegram’s lax content moderation and encrypted chats make it a convenient tool for extremists. https://www.vox.com/recode/22238755/telegram-messaging-socia... > In collaboration with ant…

Telegram is not e2ee, by default, IIRC. You have to manually switch to an encrypted chat. Are those group chats typically e2ee?

Re: UK government plans publicity blitz against encrypted communications

#23

Post by ben_w »

samwillis wrote: post #3

I find it amusing that WhatsApp and its e2ee is used as a common target for regulation by the government when their own ministers are using it to organise all sorts of shenanigans; illegal parties during lockdown, “anonymous” briefing of journalists, leaking compromising information about their peers. Not to mention that it always seems like the government is run via WhatsApp (probably need the e2ee for that!). Ultim…

> Legislation won’t reduce the use of encryption by criminals and terrorists

Hmm, I used to think this, but now? Now I think most people are bad at tech and security. No reason to expect the average criminal would be better.

Of course, trivial for us to make it, or hide it in something that looks unrelated. And I expect serious organised crime to be able to afford a developer with no morals.

But normal crime? It probably will make a difference.

Re: UK government plans publicity blitz against encrypted communications

#25

Post by samwillis »

ben_w wrote: post #23
samwillis wrote: post #3

I find it amusing that WhatsApp and its e2ee is used as a common target for regulation by the government when their own ministers are using it to organise all sorts of shenanigans; illegal parties during lockdown, “anonymous” briefing of journalists, leaking compromising information about their peers. Not to mention that it always seems like the government is run via WhatsApp (probably need the e2ee for that!). Ultim…

> Legislation won’t reduce the use of encryption by criminals and terrorists Hmm, I used to think this, but now? Now I think most people are bad at tech and security. No reason to expect the average criminal would be better. Of course, trivial for us to make it, or hide it in something that looks unrelated. And I expect serious organised crime to be able to afford a developer with no morals. But normal crime? It prob…

You are quite right, normal and “pretty” criminals will just use whatever and not care about encryption. Not only because they won’t necessarily be educated about it, but it will have no impact on their ability to operate.

The police and intelligences agencies aren’t intercepting the communications of normal and petty criminals. It’s organised crime and terrorism that matters, they will obviously continue to use it anyway.

Re: UK government plans publicity blitz against encrypted communications

#26

Post by gruez »

323 wrote: post #13
tjpnz wrote: post #11

Any insights as to why the big players are implementing E2E while ignoring P2P? Is this a control issue or purely related to technical challenges?

One big problem with P2P is that it reveals the IP address of the other party.

p2p but route it over tor?

Re: UK government plans publicity blitz against encrypted communications

#27

Post by petre »

mbroncano wrote: post #9

Does anybody know how (or even if) these kind of campaigns are run in the US?

No, in the US the government just classified encryption as weapons unsuitable for export. A more clean approach, rather than think of the children shenigans, all while certain members of the royal family have ties with a convicted child trafficker and his wife.

Re: UK government plans publicity blitz against encrypted communications

#29

Post by datavirtue »

Hmmm....it's for the children. This sounds like an attempt to keep law abiding people from privacy while guaranteeing that any criminal worth their salt is fully protected by their own encryption. Again, law abiding citizens are left unprotected as the government seeks it's own interest in keeping popular platforms wide open to their unconditional snooping.

Spending tax dollars to eliminate privacy for those paying the taxes. Keep poking the bear.

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