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British Police Demand Access To Encryption Keys

Posted by Zonk on from the among-other-things dept.

flip-flop writes "In the wake of recent terrorist attacks, police here in the UK have asked for sweeping new powers they claim will help them counter the threat. Among these is making it a criminal offense for people to refuse disclosing their encryption keys when the police want to access someone's files." From the article: "The most controversial of the police proposals is the demand to be able to hold without charge a terrorist suspect for three months instead of 14 days. An Acpo spokesman said the complexity and scale of counter-terrorist operations means the 14-day maximum is often insufficient."

6 of 814 comments (clear)

  1. Decrypt this! by alex323 · · Score: 0, Troll

    -----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (GNU/Linux) hQQOA5ziOPqiPKD7EA//UPdzmHlowFmIdYQxwfoNf77owIiklG N6k9Cu2et6VSxr Urdec/2GkvqNmrWg/PDvgjF8vNSdY7JG2t6QT1Gc3deUvIYu0s R6VajcEzvCyQ4+ lXY27ohXkJo+RCsPgiMq/b4lXtQ8KE1XM2tElR0mfwAdC6uXGU BFewzrTh/clt97 0rdlpB/S2wM47j6anhIQNow/Wfey2QywPvN3CVcunnatvhqrBK KXuUuK9j9DJ9K5 qb1T2kVTZzXINsyX1Vb/rlrLp25xnq4zn1R5rcewFO8zwo9iWi 8pg9wiWjNR0Lg4 OFpa37EsKBfr1vwQuMkvm21DOvKGUcOGl8zVYWJh71i6yY6rK1 OO9zWuaC0ShFth qBm537YPNjgWdzBHR12GDFqYpTALuNr1XyLbsfYbmDP5jG2c3q dvo3ClnJuA99Mn 2MGFpWARGHRfg9WGszX/bszyPTRRasZ687uZU9ikeKyXI2WFnf JBglO3ZUw/v06K nPx005U4iXCuwVpW5dJLi5ziAOFe3/KV4RMQjwax8CFqIWSpTz Eq03mAb7b2k0Uu PxP1wkU8hKVZCzndaafMWt5hq0V4zTuNImW6fZ1BZrZcjerS8V +wT5QXa6qWOVBe 13HJe6KegTE0KH55A7VJuWcPaEPxTLQXyjSV1M9xyG8d59988f Xtvr9BGqz+6mEP /iNnUSfFGzwZkBdkuouYxS9K9wtnXnyRfQiEYlXZ0L4ww7YAgX hY2fBHs4IRX3DW wlC0D0fgHUaY4L7oLcrDTtCCXzlA/bKKDWKlKYtovTuyIr9DoS LREw2EYZtLaEUE tlBTKva7dqFZUw5kQiN4StFhnWui1aWbn+/8LvciUzLBsRJ9Tt pDCIXctX7nnKxm iHUb5eEDzahLo2Gq7t0LYrbMdFuPfQzT16C1bCXtRL27rcrDSl Xh9Jsb7W6yTPm8 MPtNyE+ClT2ViIVqdF+XeBNcFy0JtD2WU8KePvQwD6CVy6f2M+ +Iex7d2tiveWsx w5/H7U1ieyybqe58n31ayCLoQ2HBraXis2mBc7V4sIFHA4iRlc qJbIgllbWFkRhe RkJClogVCjHNW+g1Xp0Qj6LjdRxk9mI0ESaLAEXT3P0wY6ThMt swIZfoXq31beo6 tom67ektX4WplRKsFskIdQGXHg6Od2yv0hVUHZYGFZzoPOoAjG VON7pgy7zvTIQE WobHKM6xZzPRuOpnyGHIWI2kmFYScygVIbvh8NFYrSidCYMlGj RJl7asUbOuo2H/ k/3kZ1ViAQqUxNhnGIIPDC3s+xVsU0g/rUIyjYvvShaoOTkP1T m5OurBeUOf4xsr Pt0Sq4/+/oJJeSLMeXldue9zEP1zeFPHbOa5G2qPeRMM0lUBW6 0Wimn3EN03veJ7 SC8o5wyXm6uL52xYBXtdY2GBF7b776Nn7b6kI0d22QoCsWbBbj Enb9GYxfj1u8sM /C2gmuZCtd0CuOG3Krj7rZ8pFUpNoQnU =H0RN -----END PGP MESSAGE-----

  2. Re:Oh yeah, that's why we threw their tea away by RWerp · · Score: 1, Troll

    I'm trolling, but... people who complain at every time some civil liberties are being curtailed in order to fight terrorism do not offer any other methods of fighting it. The bombings in London, Madrit and 9/11 all prove that 'the old ways' are not working anymore. The system must be changed, and those who criticize their governments practically over everything they do in this situation seldom offer any propositions of their own.

    --
    "Long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead." (John Maynard Keynes)
  3. Re:Well Chomsky is in order here... by pete6677 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Chomsky's beliefs can be summed up quite simply. USA = bad. Whatever would be good for the United States, he will oppose. Whatever would be bad for them, he will favor. There are no exceptions.

  4. Re:Where are civil liberties truly valued? by kokoloko · · Score: 1, Troll

    "The real measure of a free, open and just society is how it behaves in bad times - not in good times"

    While this sort of thing sounds good, a few problems come to mind in the current context. Is the true test of a person's health that a person is only as healthy as they are when they're sick? Lance Armstrong was in pretty bad shape a few years ago, but he'll be remembered as one of the most fit people on earth.

    Whatever your measure of freedom is, it must be relative. So a country like the UK (in this case) may not be free according to some abstract critical standard, but when compared with all the states that exist or have existed it fares pretty well. Would you rather be an American living under the regime of the Patriot Act, or living in Iran or China?

  5. Re:How else? by twiddlingbits · · Score: 0, Troll

    If the British citizens didn't spend thier money the UK Gov't gives on the Dole (lazy bastards) the US Businesses wouldn't have any customers and no customers means they would close up and go away. Not to menton your immigration system is even MORE porus than the one on this side of the Atlantic! And this system where you get to be in the Gov't because your family has been there for 200 years since some King made him a Nobleman or something. Your country is it's own worst enemy!

  6. Re:Oh yeah, that's why we threw their tea away by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 0, Troll

    You know, I see this tired response way too often. Past stupidity by the US (and present stupidity) doesn't negate the value of any certain action. Seriously, your argument is stupid: it was wrong to overthrow Saddam because the US once supported him. That makes no sense. Regardless of anything in the past, Saddam was evil. Look at this:

    Don't give me a song and dance about how you helped free the Iraqi people by deposing Hussein. You helped subjugate them in the first place by propping him up.

    Let's make this clear: any dealings the US had with Saddam were wrong. Period. But, that doesn't mean that freeing the Iraqis from him is now wrong, also.

    I seriously want to know: why do people like you support Saddam Hussein?

    --
    Do you have ESP?