Something needs to be done about the harm to children that online platforms are enabling, but there are parts to this Bill which could invade privacy and curtail free speech. I'm all for holding platforms to account and shutting down vile content like self harm which influences kids to commit suicide, anything promoting eating disorders, illegal content like child sex abuse, and stopping kids viewing and joining social media platforms. But allowing those in power to have access to ppl's private messages, no.
Oh the old "if you've done nothing wrong you got nothing to worry about" line? No to answer your question, I just don't like giving ppl power they don't need but can abuse. It doesn't have to be against me, if it happens to others who have done nothing wrong, then it's wrong and dangerous because it will be the thin end of the wedge to wider powers as that's how these things end up.
Access? Yes if there's a victim in a situation who discloses it themselves. If there's a criminal case and the search of a house (for example) which requires a warrant based on probable cause as a follow-up to other evidence. But just having powers to search ppl's communications, no.
Private messages is that using the same term as what we use on here PM's. So who would have access to private messages and how would they go about ascertaining that? Not that I would have any concerns for our site because people are pretty good at alerting me to concerns on here. Plus to my knowledge we have no kids on here, most of us are old shhits
don't think anyone has suggested that it is just the authorities want Social Media companies to have the ability to remove encryption when serious criminal activity is suspected .
I wouldn't know, I've never PM'd anyone in my life Imagine the feds going through here lol they'd probably end up joining
The problem is that there isn't any detail on who would have the power. Had it been a separate piece of legislation which specifically was about being able to remove encryption as part of a criminal investigation where there was enough evidence and even a court request where police had to show probable cause, then I would argue there was enough safeguards against abusing it. But including it within an overall internet safety bill, which btw appears primarily to be about holding the platforms to account rather than going after criminals, I find the inclusion of encryption as woolly in detail on who would use it and why. As I've said earlier, the rest of the bill I completely support and needs to be done to protect children who are definitely being harmed as a result.
Tbph mate, I thought the cops already had the legal right to go through your communications if you were suspected of doing something illegal.
Digital information should be protected behind a warrant like any other personal items. I'm ok with them having access to digital information as long as they go through the proper channels. I'm not OK with them just randomly be able to pull information as they want that is supposedly private.
