"As independent information security and cryptography researchers, we build technologies that keep people safe online. It is in this capacity that we see the need to stress that the safety provided by these essential technologies is now under threat in the Online Safety Bill."
These researchers are using logic and reason to fight against a bill that seeks to amass power and control.<p>And while I appreciate the level tone... I do wish they'd at least wink at the real reasons this is being put forward. I get why they don't, to maintain respectability and deniability etc.<p>But look at the sheer hypocrisy on display here. I kinda wish they'd take the gloves off and say, hey - Look at Prince Andrew, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jimmy Savile and Gary Glitter, and God Knows how many others.<p>Look at how those horrifying scumbags walked around free, for decades, as if authorities didn't know full fine well what they were doing. Look at how they were not just ignored, but <i>protected</i> by the establishment that now wants a backdoor on every private communication.
As I understand it, most UK public are in favour of this bill almost Pavlovianly. There is a clear disconnect between us, the tech know-how, and the general public.
Total lack of response to this letter will speak volumes about the essential nature of this UK Government. The UK Opposition Party's view as of last January is here: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jan/01/labour-pledges-toughen-online-safety-bill" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jan/01/labour-pl...</a>.<p>Background: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/23708180/united-kingdom-online-safety-bill-explainer-legal-pornography-age-checks" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.theverge.com/23708180/united-kingdom-online-safe...</a>
I think it's inevitable that at some point some legislation like the OSB <i>will</i> pass in most western countries.<p>It's going to drive the people who have the know how underground, and anyone engaging in protecting their privacy will be considered a criminal. We're already creeping toward that IMO.
Sigh...<p>Beyond the security researchers' own little "computer savvy 1%" bubble, is there any intended audience for such Open Letters?<p>Could they actually communicate with normal people if they (somehow) wanted to?<p>Are there laws in the UK that make it too risky to just say something like "This bill will make it so much easier for the next Wayne Couzens to find his perfect Sarah Everard."?
When you have nothing to offer on real issues (inflation, housing, pay, jobs, transport, health, education, social mobility etc), you have to constantly whip up fear over non-issues (people online). (both with the general population, and your own back benches)<p>Once you have have spent years whipping up fear over non-issues, you inevitably have to do something about them.<p>But you cannot actually do something that doesn't have side effect worse than the intended effect. But you can't just admit that or walk away. You have convinced your electorate these are the number 1 issues facing the nation.<p>So you write a law that's meaningless nonsense, and poop it out into Parliament.<p>That is how we got this bill. That's how we got Brexit.<p>Whether we can overcome this sort of disfunction will basically decide whether algo-sphere style democracy is sustainable...
No date on the letter or the PDF metadata but <a href="https://twitter.com/martinralbrecht/status/1676486065106964480" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://twitter.com/martinralbrecht/status/16764860651069644...</a> from one of the corresponding authors is today, July 5.
This is just a small battle in a global war: <a href="https://community.qbix.com/t/the-coming-war-on-end-to-end-encryption/214/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://community.qbix.com/t/the-coming-war-on-end-to-end-en...</a>
When Hunter S. Thompson wrote about the drugs our politicians were on, he wasn't completely fabricating. DC is high on prescription pharmaceuticals and the actual legislation is coming from lobbyists hired by people who are also highly medicated.<p>They don't care what the people want after campaign season is over, however they will back off from anything that generates genuine outcry, for a while, then they'll try it again later.