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Backlash Against British Encryption Law

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the feel-the-love dept.

gardenermike writes "The BBC is reporting on some backlash against the British Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) that came into force in 2000, which makes it a criminal act to refuse to decrypt files on a computer. Not surprisingly, the bugaboos of child pornography and terrorism, while unquestionably heinous, are being used to justify a law which does little to protect against either. Lord Phillips of Sudbury is quoted 'You do not secure the liberty of our country and value of our democracy by undermining them, that's the road to hell.'"

7 of 409 comments (clear)

  1. Hit the costume store by Ravenscall · · Score: 5, Funny

    Guy Fawkes masks in 4...3...2..

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    You say you want a revolution....
  2. Lord Phillips by TheGreek · · Score: 4, Funny
    Lord Phillips of Sudbury is quoted 'You do not secure the liberty of our country and value of our democracy by undermining them, that's the road to hell.'"
    Because when I want somebody's ideas on what comprises a democracy, I ask somebody with a peerage.
    1. Re:Lord Phillips by Wooster_UK · · Score: 4, Funny

      Or, given that we're talking the Lords, *snore* "what? oh, hyah, hyah" *snore*.

  3. Re:Why is child pornography as bad as terrorism? by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
    > Probably the same reason rape often gets the same or more jail time than murder. Even though the first only involves a temporary loss of freedom and some unwanted intrusions that are over in a few minutes, and the other leave you *dead*.

    But if you really wanna rack up jail time, try copyright infringement!

  4. implications for programming. by krell · · Score: 2, Funny

    I suppose it makes coding in APL (without documentation) a crime.

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    Where were you when the voynix came?
  5. The entire family has this problem. by krell · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Joe Blow unlocks his uncrypted files for them, ensure nothing bad will happen to his kids, such as them being forced to perform sex acts on the chief of police."

    With such a surname, this might be a problem that everyone in this family might run into.

    --
    Where were you when the voynix came?
  6. Misread the title by computational+super · · Score: 2, Funny

    At first, I read the title as "Backlash Against British Encryption Law Against British Law". The sad part is, I wasn't surprised.

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    Proud neuron in the Slashdot hivemind since 2002.