1993

Do you remember the Clipper chip? The EFFector Online Volume 6 No. 1 covered this topic more than 30 years ago. The idea is easy to understand: the government wanted to have a backdoor for decryption of encrypted communication data. The problem is as easy to understand: the bad guys can abuse the backdoor, or maybe the government itself consists of bad guys.

Does politics learn anything from the past? Obviously the answer is no.

2013

Edward Snowden initiated a public discussion whether we can trust our governments or not. Obviously the answer is no.

2020

• Remember the Clipper chip? NSA's botched backdoor-for-Feds from 1993 still influences today's encryption debates

2022

May

• Europe proposes tackling child abuse by killing privacy, strong encryption

Jul

• Tech world may face huge fines if it doesn't scrub CSAM from encrypted chats
• British intelligence recycles old argument for thwarting strong encryption: Think of the children!

Oct

• Scanning phones to detect child abuse evidence is harmful, 'magical' thinking

2023

• Signal says it'll shut down in UK if Online Safety Bill approved

2024

• Australia’s spies and cops want ‘accountable encryption’ - aka access to backdoors

2025

• Signal will withdraw from Sweden if encryption-busting laws take effect

2026

More news of nuts? Obviously the answer is yes. Stay tuned.