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Crypto-Bashing Prime Minister Argues The Laws Of Mathematics Don't Apply In Australia (independent.co.uk)
An anonymous reader quotes the Independent:Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said the laws of mathematics come second to the law of the land in a row over privacy and encryption... When challenged by a technology journalist over whether it was possible to tackle the problem of criminals using encryption -- given that platform providers claim they are currently unable to break into the messages even if required to do so by law -- the Prime Minister raised eyebrows as he made his reply. "Well the laws of Australia prevail in Australia, I can assure you of that. The laws of mathematics are very commendable, but the only law that applies in Australia is the law of Australia," he said... "The important thing is to recognise the challenge and call on the companies for assistance. I am sure they know morally they should... They have to face up to their responsibility."
Facebook has already issued a statement saying that they "appreciate the important work law enforcement does, and we understand the need to carry out investigations. That's why we already have a protocol in place to respond to any requests we can.
"At the same time, weakening encrypted systems for them would mean weakening it for everyone."
Facebook has already issued a statement saying that they "appreciate the important work law enforcement does, and we understand the need to carry out investigations. That's why we already have a protocol in place to respond to any requests we can.
"At the same time, weakening encrypted systems for them would mean weakening it for everyone."
Malcolm Turnball (or Chairman Mal as we call him) is an ex lawyer from a privileged background who lucked into dropping a few bucks into some 1990's "computer thingy that my financial advisor assures me is a good investment" and riding in the wave of the first tech boom, to the tune of about 300 million dollars.
He honestly considers himself the smartest person in the room.
He's a fucking lawyer who won life's big lottery.
I'm sure you guys have similar stories about your politicians.
The sooner this imbecile is gone from politics, the better.
It's disappointing to me that we still use the word 'law' to refer to entirely different things:
1. Things humans make up that they then want other human beings to follow.
2. Things humans make up after observing something in order to describe it.
Descriptive laws and prescriptive laws are exact opposites, both chronologically and causally.
Aside from eliminating privacy for everyone, can measures like this be expected to actually fight terror or crime at all? Encryption is essentially a solved problem; a coordinated terror group needs only do a little work to make its own app using strong end to end encryption in the backend. Insisting that popular messaging apps be insecure simply robs the common citizen from privacy protection tools without addressing the problem which is claimed to be tackled.
Even Star Trek had this: "10 hours, you have 2".
I don't think that's fair. TFA is talking about encryption, a mathematical process. The laws of math are fundamental; you can't get around them. What was portrayed in Star Trek wasn't fundamental math, it was some kind of problem, usually something broken that needed repairing, and they had limited time because the Klingons were chasing them or somesuch. The captain didn't give them 2 hours just because, he was informing them how much time they realistically had based on the environment (i.e. angry aliens bearing down on them). So the idea was to get the engineers (who are really technicians and troubleshooters in the show; the real engineers are back at Mars designing the next-generation starships) to cut corners to come up with something workable even if it's very risky, or to come up with some new approach that takes less time (again, risky). It's not that different from regular engineering work: if the boss wants me to design something, I can estimate how much time it'll take, but my estimate is a worst-case estimate because I don't want to be rushed, I don't want to stay at work late, I want time to use the bathroom and take breaks, I want time to have unnecessary conversations with coworkers, etc. I could do something in a fraction of the time, but it'll be hurried and half-assed and I might not even get that working in time. But I don't have angry Romulans about to drop their cloaking device and shoot at me either; in that circumstance, I'd take a faster route.
"I know dis defies da law of gravity... but I never studied law!" - Bugs Bunny
Mr Turnbull has. What is with politicians today making nonsensical statements like this? I would have thought to get to the position of Prime Minister - or President - you'd at least have to have had some experience in thinking before opening your yap.
Douglas Adams might have something to share on the topic:
“The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.
To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it.
To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.”
Finally, the incontrovertible proof that politicians are not only completely IGNORANT of technical issues, but that they ARE NOT LISTENING TO THEIR OWN GODS-BE-DAMNED EXPERT TECHNICAL ADVISORS! This shit has got to STOP. Idiots like this need to be removed from office before they doom us all!
don't tell the government to go fuck themselves.
I hate their subservience
I think they did: "[we, Facebook] appreciate the important work law enforcement does, and we understand the need to carry out investigations. That's why we already have a protocol in place to respond to any requests we can." That's lawyer talk for "you look butt-hurt and stupid. Please fuck off."
Can't take this anymore...
Hard realization: If there was a brief blip on humanity's timeline where science and rationality held the tiniest advantage in our collective esteem over base tribalism, fearmongering, and ignorance-as-a-worldview, it came and went while we were busy mistaking it for a new era of reason.
Nothing posted to
It shall soon be illegal to speak in person without government authorities present to ensure nothing illegal is being discussed.
Unfortunately, for most of humanity, including basically all politicians and their fans, that is completely true. Only a small part of the human race qualifies as rational and these people do not seek power.
Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
It shall soon be illegal to speak in person without government authorities present to ensure nothing illegal is being discussed.
The government rep wouldn't have to be present if they could just convince people to carry small, wirelessly connected computing devices in their pockets that contain cameras and microphones. If people were to start doing that, then the government would be pretty much be able to monitor anything it wants anytime it wants.
Luckily, I doubt there's much chance of getting folks to carry such a device around with them at all times....
Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain
Then I guarantee you will never get to be a tax advisor to a politician.
Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
Just imagine how absurd this debate would have been during WW2. All that effort cracking engima is far too much like hardwork. How about just ordering the Germans to provide a backdoor ... oh wait
Everyone except for the US signed up to the Paris agreement on climate change. Science denial is pretty much only a major problem in the US, in other developed nations it's just some fringe idiots.
Even in Australia, this one moron is now being mocked for his ridiculous comments. Don't mistake being PM for some kind of endorsement of his sanity or IQ, such things are rarely factors in any election.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
The laws of nature limit what laws humans may implement. You cannot make a law that falling out of windows is illegal on grounds that gravity must not apply. I mean, of course you can make such a law, it's just impossible to enforce it and you look like a complete idiot for even proposing one.
Like this goofball here.
And yes, it IS impossible to give governments a backdoor while at the same time having sensible encryption that allows your economy to make sensible business deals. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. You can either have an economy that works or you can have broken encryption with backdoors. Pick your poison. Because one thing is certain: As soon as you must not use sensible encryption anymore in a country, it becomes really, really, REALLY difficult to convince a foreign actor to deal with you in any sort of deal that requires even the least kind of confidentiality.
And you better don't expect me to do any kind of business online in such a country.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
So. Not wanting to give away billions of dollars of taxpayer money to China, India, Pakistan, Turkey and elsewhere is what makes Trump and his supporters anti-science?
But you give the gender studies, intersectionalist a$$holes a pass?
Complaining about tribalism - look to the universities humanities departments.first.
Chances are high the US will continue to meet the Paris Treaty standards without giving away billions in tax payer dollars.
If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond
How much will climate change cost to deal with? Is it less than the cost of the Paris agreement?
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC