"Could These Bills Endanger Encrypted Messaging?"

Billions of people worldwide use end-to-end encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. In theory, end-to-end encryption ensures that only the sender and recipient possess the keys necessary to decrypt their message. Not even an app's owners can look in. According to some encryption advocates, this privacy tool now faces its greatest challenge: legislation enacted in the name of a safer Internet. The UK's Online Safety Bill, expected to become law later this year, is the most recent example. Similar laws are proposed in other democratic countries. According to their opponents, these laws would undermine the foundation of end-to-end encryption for protecting privacy. Clause 110 of the Online Safety Bill, which authorizes the Brig broadcasting and telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, to issue takedown orders for messages "whether communicated publicly or privately by means of the service," worries encryption advocates. To accomplish this, the law requires services to monitor messages using "accredited technology" that has been approved by Ofcom. Observers believe service providers cannot comply with Clause 110 takedown orders without jeopardizing encryption. This article continues to discuss the bills raising concerns among privacy advocates.

IEEE Spectrum reports "Could These Bills Endanger Encrypted Messaging?"