Bill targeting online child abuse puts encryption in crosshairs

Washington (AFP) - A bill aimed at curbing online child sex abuse is pitting the US government against the tech sector, in a battle about encryption and liability for illegal online content.

The bipartisan measure unveiled by US senators Thursday ties together two separate issues – law enforcement's access to encrypted online content, and tech platforms' legal immunity for what users post.

In unveiling the measure, senators said they were aiming to curb images of child sex abuse by forcing tech platforms to cooperate with law enforcement on encryption or risk losing the legal immunity for what is posted on their websites.

Digital rights activists have joined the tech sector in arguing this move is an indirect way to weaken online encryption in the name of better law enforcement access.

They say it erodes two cornerstones of the online ecosystem: strong encryption to keep data secure, and a liability shield which enables social media platforms to allow users to post content freely.

The bill "would give government officials unprecedented powers to craft de facto regulations for online speech," said Emma Llanso of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a digital rights organization.

"Online service providers would almost certainly err on the side of caution and take down anything – including a lot of lawful, constitutionally protected speech."

• 'Kneecapping' encryption -

Encryption has been a point of contention between tech firms and law enforcement for decades. FBI officials have warned of "going dark" in investigating crimes as a result of new forms of end-to-end encryption, while civil rights advocates warn that any "backdoor" access could be exploited by hackers and authoritarian governments.

The proposal "aims to kneecap encryption under the guise of protecting children online, while capitalizing on the techlash," said Riana Pfefferkorn of the Stanford University Center for Internet and Society, referring to the simmering discontent with Big Tech over data protection and other issues.

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William Barr wading into dangerous territory with possible support for anti-tech regulation

Critics on the Left feel that online platforms aren’t doing enough moderation of content. This week, Democratic Rep. David Cicilline announced plans to introduce a bill that would remove Section 230 protections from platforms that refuse to police political speech.

From the Right, the criticism is the opposite. Conservative tech skeptics insist that the same online platforms are doing too much moderation, and are disproportionately silencing conservative voices in the process.

Barr seems to agree with both criticisms.

The attorney general apparently thinks social media platforms aren’t doing enough content patrolling. He said, “criminals and bad actors now use technology to facilitate and expand the scope of their wrongdoing and the victimization of our fellow citizens.”

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/william-barr-wading-into-dangerous-territory-with-possible-support-for-anti-tech-regulation