Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

theguardian.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 241 posts

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#41

Post by nobody9999 »

devmunchies wrote: post #11
jmclnx wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know, I was thinking of going there next year, not now.

If concerned about privacy/security during international travel, a good option is to get a burner phone. A cheap android phone is peanuts.

>If concerned about privacy/security during international travel, a good option is to get a burner phone. A cheap android phone is peanuts.

Or just a Nandroid[0][1] backup and flashing the stock rom before you go, then restoring upon return.

[0] https://www.howtogeek.com/240582/how-to-back-up-and-restore-...

[1] I don't know if this is possible with Apple phones, as I don't use them. Perhaps someone could elucidate on the viability of this option for iOS devices?

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#42

Post by [deleted] »

Manuel_D wrote: post #23
phnofive wrote: post #2

The legal system in the UK recognizes several rights against self-incrimination, but there is a carve-out for the per se crime of failing to disclose a key to encrypted information - punishable by years in prison. How is this different than refusing to tell where you've buried the bodies? Why should the police be permitted to assume you're guilty and in possession of vital information under certain circumstances?

And perhaps more importantly, it becomes a de-facto crime to ever forget an encryption key. People forget the passkeys to crypto wallets all the time, losing millions. How can the police effectively prove that someone remembers the passcode? What if someone, after a few months in prison, says they've reconsidered and are willing to comply. They try to decrypt it but fail and subsequently say they the stress of incarc…

[deleted]

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#44

Post by toyg »

pengaru wrote: post #14
toyg wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's because the memory of truly oppressive governments in Western Europe has faded. People who don't remember history, are doomed to repeat it.

I wonder if Berlin's society is already atrophying in this department.

Germans are actually the most inoculated against that type of virus, they will be the last to fall. They are at the forefront of anti-authoritarian efforts in technology, for example.

US/UK/France, on the other hand...

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#45

Post by toyg »

cm2187 wrote: post #24
toyg wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's because the memory of truly oppressive governments in Western Europe has faded. People who don't remember history, are doomed to repeat it.

The absence of a strong constitution protecting fundamental rights is also an issue. With a 50%+1 majority, the house of commons can vote pretty much any law it wants with no counterpower.

The British system is, indeed, fundamentally insane, from a technical perspective. They nerfed aristocratic power by neutering the House of Lords, but didn't bother replacing it with some other check or balance, leaving the Commons all-powerful - and with an electoral system that disproportionately favours cohesive ideologic minorities. Ironically, this was largely done by self-declared leftists, who utterly failed to anticipate how fascism could easily manifest through such a system.

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#46

Post by Our_Benefactors »

abridgett wrote: post #27

It's even worse - under RIP act not only can you be "forced" to reveal any passwords: - the onus is on _you_ to "prove" that you don't know it or have forgotten it - you can be told not to reveal that you've told them the password Anyone administering systems might want to think about this, governments aren't known for good security.

> you can be told not to reveal that you've told them the password

Come again? I don’t catch the meaning of this.

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#47

Post by blibble »

Manuel_D wrote: post #23
phnofive wrote: post #2

The legal system in the UK recognizes several rights against self-incrimination, but there is a carve-out for the per se crime of failing to disclose a key to encrypted information - punishable by years in prison. How is this different than refusing to tell where you've buried the bodies? Why should the police be permitted to assume you're guilty and in possession of vital information under certain circumstances?

And perhaps more importantly, it becomes a de-facto crime to ever forget an encryption key. People forget the passkeys to crypto wallets all the time, losing millions. How can the police effectively prove that someone remembers the passcode? What if someone, after a few months in prison, says they've reconsidered and are willing to comply. They try to decrypt it but fail and subsequently say they the stress of incarc…

> How can the police effectively prove that someone remembers the passcode?

if they can prove you were using the phone an hour ago that would probably do it

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#48

Post by jmclnx »

sph wrote: post #34
jmclnx wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know, I was thinking of going there next year, not now.

Well shit, this was my reason not to ever visit the US, but I live in Britain so I'm fucked anyway.

I wish I could laugh, seems the US, UK and Australia are in a competition to see who can out do each other.

What is it with English Speaking Countries ? I guess Canada is OK because of Quebec keeps them sane :)

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#49

Post by iepathos »

andy_ppp wrote: post #22
toyg wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's because the memory of truly oppressive governments in Western Europe has faded. People who don't remember history, are doomed to repeat it.

I do wonder if the masses always end up voting in fascists every 50 years or so simply because they forgot that there were some things worth fighting for. Does it feel like to anyone else we are on the precipice of extremely big changes that might not be good for anyone?

Can't forget things they never experienced. Most of the voters weren't alive 50 years ago or more like 78 years ago if you're looking to the end of ww2.

Re: French publisher arrested in London for refusal to tell police his passcodes

#50

Post by CaliforniaKarl »

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #46
abridgett wrote: post #27

It's even worse - under RIP act not only can you be "forced" to reveal any passwords: - the onus is on _you_ to "prove" that you don't know it or have forgotten it - you can be told not to reveal that you've told them the password Anyone administering systems might want to think about this, governments aren't known for good security.

> you can be told not to reveal that you've told them the password Come again? I don’t catch the meaning of this.

abridgett didn't check after posting, and so didn't catch some weird formatting. They are making two separate points:

- the onus is on _you_ to "prove" that you don't know it or have forgotten it

- you can be told not to reveal that you've told them the password

Post reply on HN