The EU's Timetable for Dismantling End-to-End Encryption | Hacker News Reader

The EU's Timetable for Dismantling End-to-End Encryption

eff.org

37 pointsdannyobrien8 comments

I know that the EU and ECHR are separate institutions, but how on Earth would this be compatible with article 8 of the ECHR, a persons right to a private and family life, his home and his correspondence? Why must we always be fighting this battle?

I'm sceptical that the right to privacy is so expansive that it would entail complete privacy of communication or home. For example a home search, including seizing relevant material, already can be done if authorities followed due process and obtained a warrant, say.

Pretty much all jurisdictions grant strong but not absolute protections when it comes to violating one's privacy. I've always found that odd when the discussion of communication surveillance comes up.

This unfruitful thought experiment of yours is how you get a Stasi and here it isn't even an exaggeration.

This is typical and naive state worship and I do think it is odd to want someone to be able to peek into peoples lives to the extend that it includes private correspondence.

Luckily I doubt you will gain much ground.

Why must we always be fighting this battle?

Because the average politician facing these issues is not an expert on encryption and its implications, and is terrified of the next Very Bad Thing happening on their watch. Colloquially, something must be done, and this is something that makes a good press release so we're doing it.

It is incumbent on those of us who better understand the technical aspects of encryption to educate those politicians and, if necessary, everyone who votes for them, about both the dangers of this kind of policy and the lack of guaranteed success in achieving the intended benefits.

Don't forget that there are various big moneyed interests preying exactly on that fear and lack of knowledge - just recall how various "Internet blocking/censorship" efforts were marketed as means to fight spread of child pornography.

Despite actual groups fighting it as their main and sole mission were against.

Privacy facilitates activities that require privacy. Many of those activities undermine the powers that be. It's only natural for the powers that be to want to undermine privacy.

As long as politics are driven by people from law and the humanities we will continue to see absurdities like this. There are too few tech people in politics.

Sadly tech people ususally have a low tolerance threshold for bullshit, which makes a career in politics very very difficult.

Using anti-terror and child abuse to attack the right to privacy, is the cheapest trick a politician could use to dismantle end-to-end encryption.

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