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Comment by 3np | Hacker News Reader

Something funny they don't even mention:

> We call on technology companies to [...] enable law enforcement access to content in a readable and usable format where an authorisation is lawfully issued, is necessary and proportionate, and is subject to strong safeguards and oversight.

Matrix.org is not a company and therefore not a target at this point.

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> Matrix.org is not a company

Correct there is no company by that name, but the website Matrix.org is indeed owned and operated by a company that would be targeted by this law. It is called New Vector Ltd.

Ah right, I recall that now that you mention it. And IIRC it's vector.im that's running their public home and identity servers as well, so they would indeed be targeted.

Actually, it is called Element now. (Not just the new client, but also the company name)

Matrix is a project looked after by The Matrix.org Foundation (which is a company: https://matrix.org/foundation), but outsources running the matrix.org server and website to New Vector Ltd (nowadays known as Element - https://element.io). Both the Foundation and Element could be eligible for pressure if this legislation went through.

Not true. The attack would be against any service provider. The fact that currently they are eyeing whatsup and apple does not mean that they make the distinction between them and signal or telegram.

Again - WhatsApp, Apple, Telegram and Signal _are_ indeed service providers. Matrix is not.

Again, matrix provide a server, matrix.org. Again, if e2e is outlawed, it would be illegal for them to even work on the code.

If e2e is outlawed, it would be illegal to operate the matrix.org server (which is one of a universe of federated Matrix servers) - but the code would still be legal.

Also, peer-to-peer Matrix is in the works, with working prototypes - the client sort of embeds a server... Enforcing illegal e2e would require going after each user - lots of fun !

If e2e is outlawed, how will https work?

Some countries can have blurry lines between companies and non-profits; in this case, Matrix.org is a Community Interest Company in the UK (https://matrix.org/foundation), so I assume that'd apply to it as well.

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