US DOJ: End-to-End Encryption Poses Serious Public-Safety Risks

End-to-end encryption carries “serious risks to public safety”. The conclusion is contained in a statement signed by the U.S. Department of Justice as well as the agencies of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and Japan.

International Statement: End-To-End Encryption and Public Safety https://t.co/q7gvZfeHms

— Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) October 11, 2020

The department urged technology companies to work with authorities and to provide capabilities for monitoring illegal activity.

The department contends that end-to-end encryption could undermine companies’ ability to detect and respond to information about child sexual exploitation, violent crime, and propaganda for terrorism.

The DOJ backed its position with data from the international WePROTECT alliance, which brings together authorities from 98 countries, technology companies and civil society organizations.

“In 2018, Facebook Messenger identified nearly 12 million of 18.4 million messages related to child sexual abuse. The current tools used to detect such offenses do not work in end-to-end encrypted environments,” the statement notes.

The DOJ also says it should have access to ‘devices, user applications and integrated platforms where end-to-end encryption is used’. The agency pledged to respect privacy.

Users saw in the DOJ’s initiative a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects freedom of expression.

No. If you believe in the first paragraph, then it’s easy to understand how backdoored encryption removes all digital freedom, allowing state oppression. Stop.

— John Carvalho (@BitcoinErrorLog) October 11, 2020

Back in June, Zoom’s leadership said it would provide the FBI with access to users violating the law.

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