Australia’s anti-encryption law under fire
When Australia has passed the anti-encryption law, things couldn’t
be more worse for tech companies that sell products that warrant
one’s privacy. Apple and other technology companies have already
signalled opposition to the doubtful law. What will come next?
A group of United States tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Microsoft, collectively voiced opposition to the law passed last week. In a very clear statement, the companies called the anti-encryption law in Australia “deeply flawed” and also fear it will undermine the privacy of users:
Usually such things should not be released on the people who never would interfere with the law.
Apple stated:
With these words spoken it is clear that companies see nothing good in the new law as long as millions of users have to forego their right to have privacy on digital media while there are only a handful of individuals that really can be considered a threat doe to what they release online.
The law clearly states that select government agencies can ask tech companies for three different levels of assistance in accessing encrypted messages:
- technical assistance request
- technical assistance notice
- technical capability notice
Companies who refuse to cooperate with such requests could face financial penalties.
On August there was a statement from australian authorities that failure to comply would leave the company liable to fines of up to A$10 million (7.3 million US$) and potential jail time.
That alone is a sever threat to the right for digital privacy in it’s own! If authorities can go that far to speak out penalties in a double-digit million size AND possible imprisonment for employees of the law-violating companies, that is mildly said “bending the law” in general.
Things like that should not be possible even in modern times.
And frankly said: Most criminals might have found other ways to communicate in privacy without the usage of common services. So we think that the law that has been passed last week is just another step to total surveillance of the common citizen. And that is unacceptable!
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