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Australia Passes Controversial Encryption Bill Despite Opposition From Apple and Other Tech Companies
The Australian parliament on Thursday passed controversial encryption legislation that could result in tech companies being forced to give law enforcement access to encrypted customer messages.
As we reported in October, Apple opposed the legislation in a seven-page letter to the Australian parliament, calling the encryption bill "dangerously ambiguous" and wide open to potential abuse by authorities.
Advocates of the bill, officially titled "Assistance and Access Bill 2018," argue it is essential to national security because encrypted communications are used by terrorist groups and criminals to avoid detection.
CNET provided a breakdown on the Australian bill and the three tiers of law enforcement and state agency assistance it covers:
Likewise, the joint industry lobby group DIGI, which includes Amazon, Facebook, Google, Oath, and Twitter, said they were willing to work with the government to promote public safety, but the laws could "potentially jeopardize the security of the apps and systems that millions of Australians use every day."
Apple has fought against anti-encryption legislation and attempts to weaken device encryption for years, and its most public battle was against the U.S. government in 2016 after Apple was ordered to help the FBI unlock the iPhone owned by Syed Farook, one of the shooters in the December 2015 attacks in San Bernardino.
Apple opposed the order and claimed that it would set a "dangerous precedent" with serious implications for the future of smartphone encryption. Apple ultimately held its ground and the U.S. government backed off after finding an alternate way to access the device, but Apple has continually had to deal with further law enforcement efforts to combat encryption.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
As we reported in October, Apple opposed the legislation in a seven-page letter to the Australian parliament, calling the encryption bill "dangerously ambiguous" and wide open to potential abuse by authorities.
Advocates of the bill, officially titled "Assistance and Access Bill 2018," argue it is essential to national security because encrypted communications are used by terrorist groups and criminals to avoid detection.
CNET provided a breakdown on the Australian bill and the three tiers of law enforcement and state agency assistance it covers:
- Technical assistance request: A notice to provide "voluntary assistance" to law enforcement for "safeguarding of national security and the enforcement of the law."
- Technical assistance notice: A notice requiring tech companies to offer decryption "they are already capable of providing that is reasonable, proportionate, practicable and technically feasible" where the company already has the "existing means" to decrypt communications (e.g. where messages aren't end-to-end encrypted).
- Technical capability notice: A notice issued by the attorney general, requiring tech companies to "build a new capability" to decrypt communications for law enforcement. The bill stipulates this can't include capabilities that "remove electronic protection, such as encryption."
Likewise, the joint industry lobby group DIGI, which includes Amazon, Facebook, Google, Oath, and Twitter, said they were willing to work with the government to promote public safety, but the laws could "potentially jeopardize the security of the apps and systems that millions of Australians use every day."
Apple has fought against anti-encryption legislation and attempts to weaken device encryption for years, and its most public battle was against the U.S. government in 2016 after Apple was ordered to help the FBI unlock the iPhone owned by Syed Farook, one of the shooters in the December 2015 attacks in San Bernardino.
Apple opposed the order and claimed that it would set a "dangerous precedent" with serious implications for the future of smartphone encryption. Apple ultimately held its ground and the U.S. government backed off after finding an alternate way to access the device, but Apple has continually had to deal with further law enforcement efforts to combat encryption.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
[ 85 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
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9 months ago
Presumably the terrorists and criminals, upon reading this like the rest of us, will simply plan accordingly, making the whole thing utterly pointless whilst introducing huge potential security, privacy and economic damage for the vast majority of innocent people.
Idiocy.
Idiocy.
9 months ago
If Apple, Google, Facebook, etc. were to suddenly cease all sales and operations within Australia, that law would be gone in a heartbeat.
Doubt that'd ever happen though, unfortunately.
Doubt that'd ever happen though, unfortunately.
9 months ago
Our government doesn’t know it’s ass from its head. Or it’s head is too far up there.
9 months ago
So aussie government seem to be more concerned about other people’s business than, I don’t know, other problems like homelessness. I’m glad aussies know their priorities. /s
9 months ago
Just encrypt the encryption..
Technically; that's exactly what will be done by anyone with something to hide. It'll just be a case of running through a dedicated encryption program (or plug-in) before sending with any messaging app.All this bill does is highlights to people that they're currently depending on a single layer of protection (so prompting those affected to review this), and shows the incredible stupidity of bureaucrats and politicians.
9 months ago
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.
9 months ago
Well, Australia is part of the Five Eyes - so I wouldn't be surprised if there's some pressure from the U.S. or U.K. to get a chance to spy on their own people via Australia.
On the other hand, it's kind of a convenient telltale. If whatsapp, imessage, fb-messenger, hike, signal, etc... don't get banned in Australia, we know that those messengers aren't safe to use anymore.
On the other hand, it's kind of a convenient telltale. If whatsapp, imessage, fb-messenger, hike, signal, etc... don't get banned in Australia, we know that those messengers aren't safe to use anymore.
9 months ago
No problem, easy solution in a democracy. If the government demands the encryption keys Apple should just pull completely out of the market. Let the Australian citizens decide whether they want government snooping or Apple products.
9 months ago
I think the UK considered something similar, namely, that anybody possessing material relevant to a crime investigation had to produce an encryption key or face jail. An MP got fed up with the idea and sent the PM an encrypted message with information about a crime (probably a minor traffic violation) and then destroyed the key. Since the PM now had electronic information about a crime, the PM was obligated to provide the encryption key and would have been subject to prosecution for not providing it. I think that proposal died a quick death....
9 months ago
An overreaction to cover for the fact that our anti terrorism department isn’t up to the job.
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