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UK Government Can Demand You Hand Over Encryption Keys

Posted by Zonk on from the shh-don't-give-them-ideas dept.

iminplaya writes "The UK government can now demand that citizens hand over their data encryption keys - or face jailtime for obstructing justice. The law only applies to data on UK shores, and doesn't cover information transmitted via UK servers across the internet. 'The law also allows authorities to compel individuals targeted in such investigation to keep silent about their role in decrypting data ... The Home Office has steadfastly proclaimed that the law is aimed at catching terrorists, pedophiles, and hardened criminals--all parties which the UK government contends are rather adept at using encryption to cover up their activities.'"

2 of 426 comments (clear)

  1. Ha HA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

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  2. You're missing the point. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    This is Slashdot, it only matters when it's too late because that's the best time to whine about it. Whining when it was still in the planning stages would mean people would have to get off their arses and actually do something like, you know, write to their local MP.

    Frankly, this story just about sums up what the internet has become, a place for people to whine and bitch and moan about the things they could have done something about if they hadn't all become so god damn lazy.

    The whole MediaDefender thing was fantastic because it showed that there were still some out there who cared enough about our right to freedom to do something unfortunately however they are the absolute minority.