If you can have wiretapping you don't have E2E encryption. So I think this would be a ban on E2E encryption, not on encryption in general of course but I think that should be self evident.
This also gets rid of the need for master keys or key escrow.
(Don't shoot the messenger, this is a technical theoretical idea, not a policy suggestion.)
That sounds useful.
Don't forget the Moore's law as well (even though it's taken a hit lately). Come next year, it will cost 15000, in another few years it's 7500, and some time after it will cost <1000. In the meantime, the encryption standard's complexity will be the same (because the legislation rarely moves that quickly).
And also, please remember that the journalists and human rights activists use encryption to keep their correspondence concealed chiefly from the government. And there are other governments on this planet, not just US.
It's not actually that easy to tap into internet communications. Even without encryption it would be a huge challenge to spy on someone.
A government could obviously do it. A medium-sized corporation? Not likely.
> because the legislation rarely moves that quickly
Just legislate "encryption that takes no more than $80,000 to break, indexed for inflation", and it will auto adjust as computers get faster. (i.e. legislate the cost, not the key-strength.)
> the journalists and human rights activists use encryption to keep their correspondence concealed chiefly from the government. And there are other governments on this planet, not just US.
Those other governments can just outlaw encryption then entirely. My idea is specifically for governments that are gentle enough to allow normal people privacy. Authoritarian governments are not going to be limited by a law.
A medium-sized corporation can be an Internet provider. Or have a deal with one.
> Those other governments can just outlaw encryption then entirely.
If the EU criminalizes encryption, people living in those other countries wouldn't be able to use private communications (to hide from their oppressive governments) in the popular chat apps which usually target US and EU markets. Whether their governments outlaw encryption or not.
Yes, wiretapped connections are not E2E while they're being monitored, obviously
If wiretapped, then dummy_encrypt(message) else encrypt(message) ?
Or will they just dummy_encrypt anything and read the stuff that's "wiretapped" at the moment? Because that sounds way more probable.
How do you assure that the people flipping the toggle are the 'good' guys.
Given the way five eyes (and similar groups) have behaved particularly.