The European Parliament has introduced amended regulation that would not only require end-to-end encryption when convenient but forbid backdoors that offer secured access to law enforcement. EU citizens need to know that the “confidentiality and safety” of their data is “guaranteed,” according to the design, and backdoors risk “weakening” that privacy.
The project has to be approved by Parliament and then reviewed by the EU Council, so there’s still a possibility that the rules will be softened if and when the bills pass.
If they do clear, although, they could set up a dispute between the EU and countries that aren’t so fond of encryption. The UK is unquestionably the main concern, even after it leaves the EU. A ban on backdoors would make it hard for the country to implement the Investigatory Powers Act’s requirement that corporations remove “electronic protection” when possible. How would that be significant when virtually every tech company in Europe is encrypting data traffic? You’re not likely to see UK-specific variants of apps that introduce security holes.
This would also prevent the efforts of some American politicians (such as Senators Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein) to effectively forbid airtight encryption. While those proposals have largely delayed, they’d face an even tougher battle in Congress if it meant trouble American and European security policies against each other. Simply put, the EU could wind up ordaining encryption strength well beyond its member states’ borders.
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