Slashdot Mirror
Obama Administration Argues For Backdoors In Personal Electronics
mi writes Attorney General Eric Holder called it is "worrisome" that tech companies are providing default encryption on consumer electronics, adding that locking authorities out of being able to access the contents of devices puts children at risk. “It is fully possible to permit law enforcement to do its job while still adequately protecting personal privacy,” Holder said at a conference on child sexual abuse, according to a text of his prepared remarks. “When a child is in danger, law enforcement needs to be able to take every legally available step to quickly find and protect the child and to stop those that abuse children. It is worrisome to see companies thwarting our ability to do so.”
Who remembers the failed Clipper chip pushed during the Clinton administration and advocated by VP Gore?
Who remembers why it failed?
Those who fail to understand history are doomed to repeat it....even if they have to force it down our throats.
"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter." "Unless it's politically expedient to change the rules, in which case, fuck you."
The problem though, and the point people are missing (I think, though maybe I'm giving Holder too much credit) is that when they do get a warrant, they still can't access the data. Again, maybe I'm giving them too much credit, but law enforcement should be able to get a warrant and then access that data, through a legal search and seizure. At least the way it's being reported, with iOS 8 even if law enforcement brought a legal warrant to Apple, Apple wouldn't be able to decrypt the data. Won't be long before Google and Microsoft follow suit.
I know, I know, the Slashdot response will be "but NSA!" So be it.