Five Eyes Campaign Against Encryption Threatens Democracy

The US has been campaigning against encryption for 30-40 years. The problem is that encryption has to be strong. Every time you weaken it, you leave yourself open to &#x27;bad actors&#x27; who would like nothing better than to steal your identity, or drain your bank accounts, etc. The modern world relies on encryption for the world to work.<p>No encryption = no cashless society, no online banking, we&#x27;d be back to writing checks and we all know that <i>they</i> weren&#x27;t particularly safe either.

I have written my representatives in California multiple times on their bullheaded attempts to neuter encryption. They always reply with a line about &quot;the children.&quot;<p>It seems that their minds are made up for one reason or another. It is unfortunate.

It is undemocratic for democratic governments to argue against encryption in any capacity. They are effectively using their citizens own money to weaken their security against unlawful search.

Encryption is a mathematical reality. It is physically impossible to stop and the modern internet really only works because it exists. These kinds of efforts are effectively unenforceable.

If the Five Eyes campaigns are successful, wouldn&#x27;t this lead to a better internet for the rest of the countries?<p>One where other countries develop alternatives (applications, submarine cables, encryption technology that can actually be exported) to avoid being spied on.<p>I mean, it&#x27;s a shoot in the foot for the Five Eyes countries, but a win for everyone else (in terms of opportunities created).