US Senators introduce bill to FORCE all device and software providers in the US to build backdoors into their products. Bill would make encryption ILLEGAL unless it had a backdoor for the US government. (see comments for how to stop this)

submitted by Aureus from news.bitcoin.com

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[–]Aureus[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

While the world is distracted by Covid hysteria and what colour skin we have, senators in the US Senate have introduced a bill that would make any company in the US HAVE to design their products so that any and all information transmitted or stored with it would be able to be accessible to the US government any time they wanted it (smartphone manufacturers, app makers, operating system providers, etc.). Essentially, encryption would become illegal in America, because all American products that offered it would need to design backdoors for the US government (and potentially, anyone else).

If you are an American, contact your two US senators. Tell them to vote NO on the Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act.

https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

For non-Americans, this will also affect you, not only because a lot of software and device providers come from America, but because if the bill passes, it further establishes such a precedent for other nations to follow.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]Aureus[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    That's a fascinating idea and we might start seeing more of it. It reminds me of the Virginia counties that wanted to move to West Virginia.

    [–]yellow_algebra_31 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    Well, I called my senators! Not sure if calling or email is better in this day and age, and I probably would have done better with a script and more education on the issue, but it seems important and clear enough to me from what I know now. Glad I did that. Didn't take too long, though I probably did sound a bit foolish. Oh well, better than not doing something.

    They have some decent voice mail message though. "It's an honor to serve as your representative and I'm honored to hear your thoughts on current issues." We're supposed to engage with our government, guys. We're supposed to be on the same side. We're supposed to be working together to take responsible care of our country.

    [–]Aureus[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Well done, thanks!

    [–]mikipika 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Thank you! Based on the ignorance and apathy I have seen demonstrated by so many US citizens, it will be revealing to see how they vote on this in the Senate.

    [–]Trajan 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Certainly a good way of shifting jobs overseas by discouraging anybody with a sense of security against using US companies.

    [–]yellow_algebra_31 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

    Do we know what's happened with this bill by now?

    [–]Aureus[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

    I haven't heard anything new about it. I wish there were a website that keeps track of these things.

    [–]yellow_algebra_31 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Heard more about it today: https://act.eff.org/action/stop-the-earn-it-bill-before-it-breaks-encryption

    [–]yellow_algebra_31 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    I wish there were a website that keeps track of these things.

    maybe: https://legiscan.com/US/bill/SB3398/2019