Privacy News Australian Government Passes Controversial World-First Anti-Encryption Law

[upnorth]

Content source

https://newatlas.com/australia-encryption-law-passes-controversy/57560/

The Australian government yesterday passed a controversial bill that allows law enforcement agencies to compel tech companies to hand over encrypted messaging data.

The legislation has been broadly condemned by privacy groups and technology companies with suggestions it could not only harm the Australian tech industry, but undermine encryption security worldwide. The Australian legislation has been brewing for more than a year now, with constant calls from governments around the world reiterating concerns over an inability for law enforcement agencies to access encrypted communications. The legislation, called The Assistance and Access Bill 2018, can compel a private company to create new interception capabilities so no communications data is completely inaccessible to the government. Even more controversial is the fact that this security vulnerability must be deployed in secret, without public knowledge. The new legislation is undoubtedly problematic, in a variety of ways, however, the Australian Senate rushed the bill through at the end of the final sitting day for the year, amidst a whirlwind of political games and sniping. The country's primary opposition party ultimately capitulated into supporting the bill, despite long-standing concerns, with opposition leader Bill Shorten buying into the argument that delaying the legislation until next year would threaten the country's national security.

Earlier this year, in a submission to the Australian Parliament, Apple condemned the proposed legislation calling it "extraordinarily broad" and "dangerously ambitious". The core issue frequently raised is that forcing companies to embed some kind of backdoor access to encrypted data fundamentally weakens security for everyone. It's unclear exactly what this bill will be asking of technology companies as comprehensive end-to-end encryption is a fundamentally unassailable process. Once encryption is enabled in an app such as WhatsApp, the company has no way to access that data. So, if it were legally compelled to create something under the parameters of this legislation it would have to involve some kind of backdoor that allows the company to intercept a message at either the point of sending, or the point of receipt. Due to the vagaries in the new legislation it is unclear exactly what will play out over the next six to 12 months. What we can be sure of is that this Australian regulation will have far-reaching global implications.

Ted Hardie, chair of the Internet Architecture Board, suggested the legislation may even break laws in other countries if the Australian government tries to force companies to hand over sensitive data. The massive GDPR law rolled out across Europe earlier this year is a prime example raised by Hardie."We are concerned that the proposed legislation may cause these service providers to violate contracts or laws in other jurisdictions, depending upon the exact nature of the requests made," Hardie writes. "For example, companies with European presence are required to handle sensitive data according to the GDPR, and by complying with an Australian order for data that might be located in Europe, that provider could be required to violate the GDPR to satisfy Australian law."

 

[RejZoR]

I hope the people who cooked up this madness get hit by it. Someone stealing these "master keys" and steal all of their private info and post it everyone to see. This is the only way to show these idiots what they have created.

 

[509322]

I told people here two years ago that it is the stated intent of governments to illegalize all deliberate end-user encryption. Australia is just the first of many to follow.

The other stated intent is to have all users register for active tracing\tracking. Heck, even the Kaspersky's agree this is what needs to be done. Natalia believes that any anonymity is bad for society. She has openly stated for years that the state must have 100 % digital data access 100 % of the time. If no one knows, they have actively promoted this for decades to governments. It's pretty much gonna happen eventually.

Soon enough there will be digital police and you will go to jail for breaking these kinds of laws.

This is only the beginning and it isn't going to be stopped.

 

[SumTingWong]

All hacker eyes are on the Australian government now. This will be a very interesting battle. One side is stupid that want all encryption keys, while the other side is clever and creative to demonstrate and expose the opposite side stupidity.

 

[DeepWeb]

Less than 10 Australians died from terrorist attacks this decade. This is about control.

 

[509322]

All hacker eyes are on the Australian government now. This will be a very interesting battle. One side is stupid that want all encryption keys, while the other side is clever and creative to demonstrate and expose the opposite side stupidity.

Less than 10 Australians died from terrorist attacks this decade. This is about control.

This isn't just about Australia. Australia is just the first of many to follow. The internet and internet\digital law is changing. The days of old are gone. Things are changing. One day a person will have to register biometrically to get a digital license to access and use the net. That is the future. It is coming whether people like it or not. And they won't be able to stop it.

 

[Weebarra]

I don't know where i stand on this really because i agree that every country should keep their citizens safe from crime and terrorism but on the other hand i believe that Joe public has rights to privacy :emoji_fearful:

Less than 10 Australians died from terrorist attacks this decade. This is about control.

That's all well and good saying less than 10 but if you say that to one of those victims families then they'll say it's 10 too many (as would i) but i do agree that it's about control.

 

[bribon77]

I don't know where i stand on this really because i agree that every country should keep their citizens safe from crime and terrorism but on the other hand i believe that Joe public has rights to privacy :emoji_fearful:



That's all well and good saying less than 10 but if you say that to one of those victims families then they'll say it's 10 too many (as would i) but i do agree that it's about control.

Joe has no problem. But you have to admit that the internet has become too dangerous. And you have to control it

 

[Janl1992l]

This isn't just about Australia. Australia is just the first of many to follow. The internet and internet\digital law is changing. The days of old are gone. Things are changing. One day a person will have to register biometrically to get a digital license to access and use the net. That is the future. It is coming whether people like it or not. And they won't be able to stop it.

New World Order, i dont need to say more. Devil Agenda.

 

[509322]

New World Order, i dont need to say more. Devil Agenda.

Cannot track hidden people, then make it a requirement that everyone must reveal themselves and be fully trackable. Common sense. Those that refuse to follow the rules ultimately end up in prison.

People want to use digital media to commit crimes, this is what is gonna happen.

Criminal activity over digital media of all kinds and making the efforts of law enforcement easier to cope with that criminal activity is what is going to define the internet and digital law over the next 50 years.

Blade Runner 2049 surveillance. It needs to happen.

 

[Janl1992l]

Cannot track hidden people, then make it a requirement that everyone must reveal themselves and be fully trackable. Common sense. Those that refuse to follow the rules ultimately end up in prison.

People want to use digital media to commit crimes, this is what is gonna happen.

Criminal activity over digital media of all kinds and making the efforts of law enforcement easier to cope with that criminal activity is what is going to define the internet and digital law over the next 50 years.

Blade Runner 2049 surveillance. It needs to happen.

U dont get what i wanted to say with it. Look the Movie "Zeitgeist", than u maybe, just maybe will start to understand what happens along time ago, what happens now and what will happens until 2030, until the nwo is fully working. This has nothing, realy nothing todo with criminal activity, not even abit. Not anything is true there, but it is a start. Sorry for being totaly off topic.

 

[Entreri]

Horrible. I do a lot of banking and finance and shopping online.

While not in crazy Australia land, this is the first shot, other "5 eyes" countries will follow and then the world.

Hackers are going to have a fun time in Australia, I hope they only go after the crooked and vile politicians.

 

[HarborFront]

I think it's time VPN providers stop having their servers in Australia

 

[509322]

I think it's time VPN providers stop having their servers in Australia

LOL... in the U.S., if a VPN leases or owns a server in one of the 26 states where a server establishes nexus, that VPN is required by U.S. law to collect U.S. state sales tax. It doesn't matter if the VPN headquarters are on the other side of the world. That means the VPN is supposed to establish in which state the VPN user resides. If the VPN doesn't collect the taxes, then the VPN service buyer is required. Don't pay that tax... and it is a criminal offense. They will tack this charge on top of encryption violations when unbreakable encryption is made illegal.

The digital world is changing. You will not be allowed to be anonymous in the future. The internet is considered the public domain and there is no right to privacy or anonymity in the public domain. If you don't play by their rules, you will end up in the klink.

 

[spaceoctopus]

Joe has no problem. But you have to admit that the internet has become too dangerous. And you have to control it

The question about control = Does controlling(at least trying) everything, puts you more in control, or make the internet safer?
In many areas in life, when you try to achieve more control, you tend to get mostly the opposite results. From another point of view, it may be positive, it encourages more ''rebellion'' and development of new technologies to circumvent those attempts at controlling everything.

 

[509322]

Kaspersky defends 'unworkable' web passports

Natalia Kaspersky goes even further and thinks that all data should belong to the nation-state.

 

[Michyon]

This is the exact one world government police state #####, that will actually create terrorism. Nobody likes to be controlled, monitored, censored or watched and this goes too far. If anything this almost seems like step or preclude to the Matrix/AI takeover. People are sick and beyond tired of it. This will bring the collapse of society eventually. People will eventually be suppressed to the point of turning the tables. This is only going to create a divide in humanity of people who value privacy, freedom, vs the Dictatorship of control under the illusion of "freedom".

Trade Freedom for security and Lose both.

I am 100% sure there will be a huge resistance to this, and those that want privacy/freedom will be labeled as terrorists.

And we always claimed that the conspiracy theorists were crazy. Well they tried to warn us.

We are offically screwed lads, and better prepare youself for the One world Police State,

Hell the book of Revelation is pretty much happening right before us. (If you are religious)

Wait until you have to scan your biometrics to:

*Drive
*Use the Internet
*Travel
*Buy or Sell.
*Be allowed (scanned by facial recognition) to basically go anywhere.

You may be blacklisted (arrested on sight) if you:
*Talk against the govt (freedom of speech gone)
*Say certain things online
*Believe in a religion ( looking at Muslims)

Look at China's social credit score.

Oh we are so screwed.

 

[jogs]

Bad people always find tricks to circumvent govt legislations, its the common people that have suffer.

 

[erreale]

Chilling decision. This is the delirium of omnipotence.

 

[Deleted member 178]

So Australia who is banning Huawei fearing some "potential" spying via backdoors, is actually passing a law to implement backdoors...

Thanks Australia gov, I had a good laugh...
US puppets...