New Bill Introduced in U.S. Congress to Block State-Level Efforts to Weaken Smartphone Encryption

[d0minick]

the ridiculousness and blatantly inept and corrupt politicians is exactly why the presidential race is lead by a certain brand of radicals (left or right; doesn't matter).

I like the bill these 2 seemingly level headed politicians are bringing in. But I do worry if states aren't allowed to introduce their own (these particular state bills are bad) bills on encryption and digital landscape, then we can't challenge future federal laws and bring them to the supreme court. And i mean this in the way marijuana laws are challenging federal laws. Honest question, does this make sense? Am i wrong in this thinking?

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

After Snowden leaks, the masks are gone, aren't they ? Governments can no longer hide their true face on spying matters. What they did secretly till then, now they ask for it openly.

Snowden revealed the tip of the iceberg. You don't seriously believe that's ALL the NSA has been up to or is still up to, do you? We have black projects galore in this country and they're all masked by "national security" concerns. These types of laws simply let the NSA and the like use less resources on mundane matters like having computers listen to your conversations (and everyone else's). We even spy on our allies. We spy on everyone. Don't take it personally.

Meanwhile, Microsoft blatantly advertises they are out to wipe out cyber-crime by teaming up with the NSA. The NSA doesn't need a backdoor to Windows 10. They were given one carte blanche by Microsoft. So if you use torrents and other measures to avoid paying for movies or games, you better be worried because your own operating system is being monitored by the people that made it and they don't intend to let you get away with avoiding paying the right-to-breathe tax n the future. You think (the original) Total Recall's air tax is a joke? Think again (http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-28227198).

The top 80 people/families in the world (far less than 1%) own over 50% of the world's wealth (http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/meet-the-80-people-who-are-as-rich-as-half-the-world/). With those kind of resources, do you seriously believe any "law" is going to be fair or just or are they going to be used to perpetuate that inequality and power for as long as they possibly can? And no Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders can do a damn thing about it. They are NOTHINGS in the scheme of things. The office of the President is a JOKE. It can do nothing without Congress and Congress is bought and paid for regardless of which party is in "control" of it. The new Dark Ages will be a new form of control and sadly your own "phone" will be the key to knowing what you are doing at all times. The GPS location feature already reports where you are at at all times to the cell company who in turn hands it over to the NSA. That's right. You are a law-abiding citizen and have nothing to hide. Don't run for government, though. Don't try to change the system or you might find the "law" on the wrong side of YOU (http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/01/02/world/americas/ap-lt-mexico-violence.html?_r=0).

 

[antonis]

Snowden revealed the tip of the iceberg. You don't seriously believe that's ALL the NSA has been up to or is still up to, do you? We have black projects galore in this country and they're all masked by "national security" concerns. These types of laws simply let the NSA and the like use less resources on mundane matters like having computers listen to your conversations (and everyone else's). We even spy on our allies. We spy on everyone. Don't take it personally.

Meanwhile, Microsoft blatantly advertises they are out to wipe out cyber-crime by teaming up with the NSA. The NSA doesn't need a backdoor to Windows 10. They were given one carte blanche by Microsoft. So if you use torrents and other measures to avoid paying for movies or games, you better be worried because your own operating system is being monitored by the people that made it and they don't intend to let you get away with avoiding paying the right-to-breathe tax n the future. You think (the original) Total Recall's air tax is a joke? Think again (http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-28227198).

The top 80 people/families in the world (far less than 1%) own over 50% of the world's wealth (http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/meet-the-80-people-who-are-as-rich-as-half-the-world/). With those kind of resources, do you seriously believe any "law" is going to be fair or just or are they going to be used to perpetuate that inequality and power for as long as they possibly can? And no Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders can do a damn thing about it. They are NOTHINGS in the scheme of things. The office of the President is a JOKE. It can do nothing without Congress and Congress is bought and paid for regardless of which party is in "control" of it. The new Dark Ages will be a new form of control and sadly your own "phone" will be the key to knowing what you are doing at all times. The GPS location feature already reports where you are at at all times to the cell company who in turn hands it over to the NSA. That's right. You are a law-abiding citizen and have nothing to hide. Don't run for government, though. Don't try to change the system or you might find the "law" on the wrong side of YOU (http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/01/02/world/americas/ap-lt-mexico-violence.html?_r=0).

Microsoft even wrote code for NSA in order to achieve on-the-fly decryption of their services. Some cell phone companies even volunteered to offer user data before even asked to do so. And worse. Of course I know Snowden leaks are just a small percent of what was (and still is) going on. But it is these leaks that triggered a global discussion about such matters (he also said that this were his intentions, at the first place).

 

[rusty2192]

While I wholeheartedly agree that NY and CA and completely wrong to force this on us, it is not the Federal Government's place to say so.

If NY, CA or any other state is successful in passing such a bill, I hope, and think, Apple would have the gall to actually stop selling in that state to avoid penalty and to make a point. It might be a harder pill to swallow in their home state, but if they did, the states would reverse course faster than you could catch a virus on Windows.

And (loosely) like DUCKofD3ATH said, if the Feds want to block this, then they are free to block it on the Federal level. If it is going to be blocked on the state level, then that is each state's prerogative.

But the problem is that there is no way Apple or Google would stop selling in California or New York. They are just too big of markets. Therefore, the entire country and possibly the world would be forced into the legislation. As an example just look what power California has over the auto industry.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Good to see this come up as a bipartisan bill. Hopefully it passes and Obama is willing to sign it.

Based on the WH/Tech Exec meeting last month Obama ain't signing. http://mashable.com/2016/01/13/tim-cook-criticizes-white-house-encryption/#grZ1YQOWouq9

 

[Orlandoech]

Good. The USA Government should be able to infringe upon it's citizens in the name of "Nation Security" regardless of the idiots in and outside of Congress that are nothing but irrational and illogical fear mongers.

 

[k1121j]

great bill.. wonder what else is included in the bill tho ?

 

[DJ Dilbert]

It is EXTREMELY troubling that our government is so dead set on having unlimited control over what we have access to.

In September, FBI Director James Comey​

expressed concerns​

that Apple and Google are "marketing something expressly to allow people to place themselves above the law."​

Then, they spread lies like this to get their way? It's purely about privacy and limiting government power. Not placing the population above the law? What possibly could they be hoping to get out of this?

Oh, and I'm assuming that each of these lawmakers that are pushing for this (and the FBI Director too) are all using devices that are not Apple or Google manufactured? Or else they are, in their own words, "placing themselves above the law" by using their phones.
[doublepost=1455116915][/doublepost]

all apple needs to do is stop selling phones in the affected states and put a message blaming the state legislature on those states.

the resulting backlash will have the law repealed so fast...

I wonder if this means that people can still buy them online in those states? How do you prevent that?

 

[ProjectManager101]

Apple do not want the Government to decrypt our phones but Apple can render them useless if we get them fix by a third party.

 

[furi0usbee]

When the FBI/NSA give me access to their "tools," I will allow them back-door access to my devices.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

We really just need a general privacy amendment to the constitution. Courts have used Amendments 1 + 3 + 4 + 9 + 14 to say that it's implied we have a general right to privacy, but I feel like having something that explicitly says it would make it so this security bill is unnecessary.

 

[iMember]

Yeah! i have 100 posts

I highly doubt iPhones have 100% encryption, those people are just lazy that's why they force you to use your finger to unlock the phone

 

[TheRealTVGuy]

240 years after telling the King of England to take a hike, and there's still government agencies trying to take control over U.S. citizens and their privacy...
[doublepost=1455120339][/doublepost]

We really just need a general privacy amendment to the constitution. Courts have used Amendments 1 + 3 + 4 + 9 + 14 to say that it's implied we have a general right to privacy, but I feel like having something that explicitly says it would make it so this security bill is unnecessary.

Yeah, but if 1 child molester, murderer, or whoever else they drag out as an example gets away, they'll say it's not worth protecting the privacy and rights of the other 300 million of us.

 

[doctor-don]

If the FBI or other government alphabets cannot get into the phone, then it's no wonder citizens are at the mercy of the criminals who hack and steal IDs and steal the money from the bank accounts of hard-working, law-abiding citizens.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Yeah! i have 100 posts

I highly doubt iPhones have 100% encryption, those people are just lazy that's why they force you to use your finger to unlock the phone

Although I don't know if they used the iPhone, you get the picture.

Months after the San Bernardino attacks, the FBI still can't get into one of the shooter's phones

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Apple do not want the Government to decrypt our phones but Apple can render them useless if we get them fix by a third party.

Well

1) there is no proof that Apple intentionally rendered them useless

but

2) deconstructing your statement, in both instances, Apple's actions are to protect user information. So Apple is still being consistent in its effort to safeguard user data.

 

[PrimeMatrix]

Awesome! I'm gonna have to do some more research on the bill to see if there is any negative consequences.

 

[kycophpd]

Serious question. If your daughter, wife, mother etc is raped or murdered and the only evidence to prove who did it was on the suspects phone, how should they handle it?

 

[v0lume4]

I don't agree with the government often, but I certainly agree with this. Kudos.

 

[npmacuser5]

No problem with getting the passwords, one presidential candidate will just waterboard you until you are willing to provide it. So many double standards.

 

[PrimeMatrix]

In September, FBI Director James Comey expressed concerns that Apple and Google are "marketing something expressly to allow people to place themselves above the law."

Man, that is such a poorly structured argument. James feels that he has the right to control everything, evidently, and I think that is sad, and not right.

 

[splogue]

I'm pleasantly surprised to hear of the bill to stop this. I was under the impression that the majority of reps in Washington wanted weak encryption.

If the New York and CA laws go through, I truly hope Apple responds by ending sales in those states. It is about time for someone to stand up to the bullies.

 

[zioxide]

Imagine the citizens of the USA being able to have the right to privacy! I think these people forget who they work for.

Not to mention he's too stupid to realize that even if Apple put in a back door, the criminals could add their own additional encryption for which there would be no backdoor.

Idiots.

And too stupid to realize that terrorists don't use iPhones and have their own e2e encrypted message services.

While I wholeheartedly agree that NY and CA and completely wrong to force this on us, it is not the Federal Government's place to say so.

I'm pretty sure it is their place considering this is a constitutional rights issue.

Since when has having privacy become "placing yourself above the law?"

When Benedict Arnold Comey started using the 4th amendment as toilet paper.

Serious question. If your daughter, wife, mother etc is raped or murdered and the only evidence to prove who did it was on the suspects phone, how should they handle it?

Nice appeal to emotions.

 

[PrimeMatrix]

Lol at Comey and his ilk thinking he's a good guy. I suppose when the NSA lied to congress it was for good too? These are the folks who think they are above the law.

Well said. They are definitely hypocrites.

 

[dannyyankou]

A new bill introduced in U.S. Congress today by representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Blake Farenthold (R-TX) would attempt to block state-level efforts to ban sales of strongly encrypted smartphones, reports Ars Technica.

Bipartisan, I like it!