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Australian Industry and Tech Groups Unite To Fight Encryption-Busting Bill (zdnet.com)
A new encryption bill that's expected to be passed in Australia is facing strong opposition from tech heavyweights. A new group called "Alliance for a Safe and Secure Internet" has been formed by Australian industry, technology, and human rights groups to persuade the country from passing the bill, reports ZDNet. "The membership of the new alliance consists of Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Access Now, Ai Group, Australian Information Industry Association, Amnesty International Australia, AMTA, Blueprint for Free Speech, members of Communications Alliance sans NBN, DIGI, Digital Rights Watch, Future Wise, Hack for Privacy, Human Rights Law Centre, Internet Australia, IoT Alliance Australia, and Liberty Victoria." The Guardian also notes that Google and Facebook are part of the group. From the report: The Bill is currently before the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, with a minuscule three-week window for submissions closing on Friday, October 12 and a hearing set for Friday, October 19. The proposed legislation would allow the nation's police and anti-corruption forces to ask, before forcing, internet companies, telcos, messaging providers, or anyone deemed necessary, to break into whatever content interception agencies want access to.
"This Bill stands to have a huge impact on millions of Australians, so it is crucial that lawmakers reject this proposal in its present form before we sleepwalk into a digital dystopia," said board member of Digital Rights Watch and alliance spokesperson Lizzie O'Shea. "The rushed processes coupled with the lack of transparency can only mean that expert opinions from Australia and abroad are being disregarded, and deep concerns about privacy erosion and lack of judicial review have simply been tossed aside."
"This Bill stands to have a huge impact on millions of Australians, so it is crucial that lawmakers reject this proposal in its present form before we sleepwalk into a digital dystopia," said board member of Digital Rights Watch and alliance spokesperson Lizzie O'Shea. "The rushed processes coupled with the lack of transparency can only mean that expert opinions from Australia and abroad are being disregarded, and deep concerns about privacy erosion and lack of judicial review have simply been tossed aside."
Less competition in IT is certainly something the rest of the world could well use. Because if you're not allowed to encrypt in your country, the very first thing that will happen is that ANYONE who has remotely any data worth protecting will FLEE your country. Any data storage will happen abroad. And since I probably won't even be allowed to transport data in encrypted format into your country, I will make sure that anything remotely important will NOT touch your soil in any way.
In simple terms, so even politicians can grasp it: Pass this bill and kiss R&D, finance and IT good bye.
Because no backdoor is "government only" for long. At least not YOUR government-only. Such a back door is the holy grail, the gold ticket, the fast pass to industrial espionage. Do you think countries like North Korea would be above kidnapping the loved ones of someone holding that key and blackmail them so they don't get killed? Do you think your backdoor will be secret for long? And do you think anyone who's not completely insane will do any research or data storage in your country anymore?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.