British prime minister says he'd ban encrypted messaging services if elected to power again

[Himanshu Arora]

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has said that if elected again, he would push for a ban on encrypted communications services, like Snapchat, WhatsApp, and more, whose messages cannot be accessed by the country's intelligence and security agencies, even if they have a valid warrant.

The proposed reforms are part of a new legislation, which if enacted, would make it mandatory for telecom companies and Internet service providers to store more data related to people's online activities.

“Are we going to allow a means of communications which it simply isn’t possible to read?” said Cameron, who has begun campaigning ahead of a national election in Britain in May. “My answer to that question is: ‘No, we must not.’ ”

Cameron, however, didn't provide details on how he plans to enforce the new security measures, given the fact that it's extremely difficult for any government to put a complete ban on these apps, which are used by hundreds of millions of people around the world.

His comments came amid demands by many European politicians that Internet giants like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and more, allow greater government access to their user data in the wake of several recent terrorist threats, including the attacks in Paris last week, where hooded gunmen attacked the office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and killed 12 people.

Similar demands have also been made back in the US, but the companies have effectively refused to give in -- Google and Apple have even started implementing encryption technologies on their respective handsets.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/59384-british-prime-minister-hed-ban-encrypted-messaging-services.html

 

[Arris]

Yeah, we all know all orchestrated acts of terrorism are arranged via Whatsup. If they do away with private encrypted chat of Whatsup etc. then they'll just use another method of communication. If you ban guns will it stop the person that really wants to commit murder or will they just use another weapon, or their bare hands?? The only thing that Orwell seems to have gotten wrong with his book was the title/year it's set in.

 

[Greg S]

Encrypted communication exists as long as the internet exists.

 

[GreenArrow]

Encrypted communication exists as long as the internet exists.

you mean long before. "The earliest known use of cryptography is found in non-standard hieroglyphs carved into monuments from the Old Kingdom of Egypt circa 1900 BC." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cryptography

 

[AllEyezOnMe]

Agreed, it's all sales talk for the upcoming UK general election. It's 50/50 if this trumped-up salesman of a Prime Minister will get re-elected or not in early May.

 

[davislane1]

So the solution to dealing with an adversary who insists on waging a war of insurgency... is to monitor text messages and emails? That's such a brilliant strategy, I am amazed the jihadists have managed to survive the past 14 years, let alone the past several centuries. It is a miracle they're still around (or perhaps its a product of divine intervention).

I am waiting for the inevitable Chamberlain moment where one of these nitwits strikes a truce with a major cell only to be played like an electric guitar at a shred clinic. I'm sure the analytics pages for the victims' communications will lend some comforting insights to impacted family and friends.

 

[seefizzle]

Jesus christ this man is stupid.

What sucks is that governments are largely technology illiterate. Politicians don't understand the technology they legislate.

We need more impartial science and technology experts to keep politicians straight.

 

[Guest]

Who needs freedom anymore,right. It is their granddads that won it for them. they are dead now.

 

[wiyosaya]

Jesus christ this man is stupid.

What sucks is that governments are largely technology illiterate. Politicians don't understand the technology they legislate.

We need more impartial science and technology experts to keep politicians straight.

No amounts of true science will change the minds of true fanatics. They all would rather have us move back to the times of stone knives and bear skins.

Take, for instance, the new leader of the house in the US. He once said publicly, "I don't believe in global warming because God said he would not smite the earth again." It is too bad that someone did not stand up and remind our scientifically brilliant new house leader that god never said that he would prevent humanity from smiting the earth. Such idiocy, as I see it, assumes that we, as stewards of this planet, never need to take the consequences for our actions because there is an all powerful being that will save us from ourselves.

 

[Guest]

Where is your proof of global warming. You are going to give me a hyperlink as your proof, quote Obama?

 

[Hasbean]

Looks like Cam-***** is schmoozing the 1%'ers for another turn at being their boy in the head chair.

 

[VitalyT]

I would have encrypted my message to him, but didn't want to risk offending him:

Your man is class-A prick, and so is anyone advocating against privacy!

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Yeah, we all know all orchestrated acts of terrorism are arranged via Whatsup. If they do away with private encrypted chat of Whatsup etc. then they'll just use another method of communication. If you ban guns will it stop the person that really wants to commit murder or will they just use another weapon, or their bare hands?? The only thing that Orwell seems to have gotten wrong with his book was the title/year it's set in.

every time I read a line about how we're living in Orwells book, I'm convinced either a) no one actually has read it or b) we're so unbelievably naive that we could confuse a ban on encryption with torturing someone for THINKING something against their govt. it's so far an exaggeration it's become the new 'Nazi' complex whereas it's the fastest way possible to discredit whatever you just said.

The disgusting irony of course is sharia law is actually like 1984.

I think you're right... it's pointless to ban apps because they'll just use something else, but don't make comparisons to the most extreme govt ever thought up by a fiction writer. If people think we're living in his book there won't be any ways left to describe what North Korea is actually like. Using the correct language for the correct situation is powerful and important. Orwell taught us that.

 

[davislane1]

Where is your proof of global warming. You are going to give me a hyperlink as your proof, quote Obama?

Off topic comment is off topic. Nevertheless, this bait is too good not to nibble. I only hope the mods are feeling permissive today.

Global warming--like global cooling--is a demonstrable fact. Unless, of course, you are going to dispute the geologic record. Good luck with that.

The two theories in question are that (1) man is the primary cause of warming and (2) we should be concerned with warming at all. The former is very much under dispute. What is less controversial (in my opinion) is that anyone should be even remotely concerned with warming. Simply put, global warming corresponds with every plant and animal "boom" cycle for life on this planet. The biosphere likes its heat (though, finicky little first worlders tend to ***** about it). Global cooling, on the other hand, is the de facto killer of species, corresponding with every major decline in the plant and animal population.

Now if we're going to subscribe to the apocalyptic fears of the environmentalist crowd, I don't know about you, but I'm perfectly willing to sweat through another cretaceous period if it means being able to eat. Last I checked, crops don't do so well during ice ages. Better to pay for additional hurricane insurance on a full stomach than starve to death in a Prius.

In summary: if you're going to troll, at least make it interesting.

 

[deemon]

Luckily, with his attitude, he will be never elected again

 

[davislane1]

Luckily, with his attitude, he will be never elected again

It's not him you have to worry about. It's all the likeminded suits in the pipeline that will follow in his footsteps.

 

[Runt1me]

So he'd like to perv on snapchat 'messages'.. makes sense. Gotta keep an eye on all those 11 year old terrorists.

 

[davislane1]

So he'd like to perv on snapchat 'messages'.. makes sense. Gotta keep an eye on all those 11 year old terrorists.

Indeed. The last thing Britain needs is another one of those infamous lollipop bombings or a mass boogering.

 

[Trev96]

Although I definitely don't agree with policies like these, the NYTimes article (and the TechSpot article) jump to the conclusion that he wants to ban snap chat. The quote from David Cameron reads: "Are we going to allow a means of communications which it simply isn’t possible to read?" (doesn't say Snapchat) “My answer to that question is: ‘No, we must not.’ ”
Means of communication which cannot be read are encrypted services such as those used by BlackBerry (which have been banned in certain countries). Furthermore, exporting encrypted data is prohibited in many countries.
Do a google search for cryptography export if you're interested in reading more on this.

 

[ZaphodQB]

Davislane1 I could not have said it better myself, though you can believe me when I say I have tried many times.

 

[Guest]

They should take it to the next level and forbid any kind of communications between humans unless supervised by Big Brother

 

[cliffordcooley]

They had better be willing to unlock their doors, if they want me to unlock mine.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I'll let him read my messages if he lets me read his. Whats wrong with this chump, is he brain dead?

 

[Runt1me]

I like the way the media has spun this. Government exploited a bad news week (and the grief of the victims) to forward their snooping agenda, it backfired. Slimey 2 faced pricks got exposed to a whole generation of future voters.

 

[fimbles]

Kim jong cameron is a complete and utter imbecile.

Have fun sticking back doors in to all the encrypted software already available, Heard of security much?

Apple will be banned, Bitcoin will be banned, Online banking will be banned...

No piracy, porn or freedom of speech please, Were british......