Summary
The UK Parliament has passed the Online Safety Bill (OSB), claiming it will enhance online safety but actually leading to increased censorship and surveillance. The bill grants the government the authority to compel tech companies to scan all user data, including encrypted messages, to detect child abuse content, effectively creating a backdoor. This jeopardizes privacy and security for everyone. The bill also mandates the removal of content deemed inappropriate for children, potentially resulting in politicized censorship decisions. Age-verification systems may infringe on anonymity and free speech. The implications of how these powers will be used are a cause for concern, with the possibility that encrypted services may withdraw from the UK if their users’ security is compromised.
I suspect that the UK will just say “either you add the backdoor or you don’t operate here”
Which from a cynical perspective is just an easy check for hackers to see if a particular target is vulnerable by seeing if they’re allowed to operate in the UK
I mean, kinda sounds like the companies beat it to the punch or are threatening to. Which is the real path forward. Buh-bye Whatsapp and Signal disappearing and fully encrypted messages you parliamentarians and government folks are so fond of to avoid public transparency and “priveleged” info. They will last 5 seconds before the bill is scrapped.
Regarding iMessage, I believe they are honestly safer and better off without out it. Fight me(!), aha
Of course, what this means in reality is that all Brits will start using VPNs all the time, so they can get their secure apps from international app stores.
At that point everyone has plausible deniability and the security theatre is complete.
I’m wondering what, if any, effect this win have on the royals?
Can you imagine if Prince Andrew ever got busted for CSAM? Oh my God, [chef’s kiss]
I’m wondering if they’d Jimmy Savile it. Yes, it.