Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/01/22/australia-crypto-backdoor.html
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Are we still doing phrasing? Because phrasing.…
[/Archer ]_
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Australia’s a relatively small market for Apple. I can imagine them simply withdrawing from it, both as a form of brinksmanship, and to send a message to other countries contemplating the same (it’s kind of startling that China hasn’t done this already, which would be a bit harder for Apple to walk away from). It would be interesting.
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As a member of Five Eyes/UKUSA, this would essentially mean that the USA, UK, Canada, and New Zealand would also have access.
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Apologies for our shit government.
Silver lining:
a) I would expect Apple to just boycott Australia rather than comply with this
b) This Australian government is likely to suffer a crushing electoral defeat in the near future.
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China already sniffs all traffic going in/out of their internet links.
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Perhaps tech companies should place consumer data in “a trust”. A legal entity that they pay for but they have no access to.
They’re amateurs compared to the US, but they’re catching up…
Governments like to pretend that it’s possible to create encryption that the bad-guys can never get into but the good-guys can.
We know that that is not possible, but maybe it’s time to call the governments on this. Like say: “okay, if it can be done, then you do it”. The various large, western governments have some of the best cryptographers in their employ, so let’s demand they make this unicorn cryptography that is both perfectly secure and perfectly transparent to law-enforcement.
Then the tech companies can use the government crypto, and when it fails (which is surely will), we can maybe drop this whole thing? sigh, yes, too much to hope for.
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Unencrypted traffic is one thing. Back doors at the OS level is of a different order.
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No, the best option is for the corps to not acquiesce in the first place, IMHO. I get the spirit of what you’re saying, but giving Uncle Sam anything in this department is too much. Make them at least work for their living!
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Australia becomes irrelevant and finds out it can’t buy products from the rest of the planet.
I suspect that Apple could make an Australian compatible phone with an easily accessible update with lots of warnings that Australians cannot use it on their phones but no actual roadblocks to performing the update. In general, the morons that implemented this need to be removed from any position of authority.
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If a phone has been backdoored should I be concerned about STD’s? Asking for a friend.
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You know, to go along with the magical back-doored to police only phones, I happen to have a special kind of bullet-proof cloth, that appears invisible to the purest-hearted, smartest, most incorruptible cops, but completely covers everyone else. I am sure that the police would be happy to wear uniforms made of this wonderful material, as they have nothing to hide from other good cops and citizens. It would be a great crime fighting tool, as they could swiftly identify crooks, by the awed expression on their faces when they see the spiffy new bullet proof uniforms.
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Regarding point (b), Labor passed this bill back in December, so hurray for impending crushing electoral defeat but don’t expect them to repeal it.
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Yeah, I know.
My personal affiliation varies from Greens to Giant Meteor depending upon mood.
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Reason 6 in itself is reason enough.
Dear Peter
Go fuck yourself.
Yours sincerely,
Decent People of Australia, refugees, Kiwis, people with skin darker than a washed white potato and anyone that got on the wrong side of Queensland Police back in the day.
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As a Apple iPhone user who is just about to move back to Australia, I would like Apple to immediately announce that they are withdrawing all iPhones from sale in Australia until this is repealed.
Aussies are very used to buying from overseas sites so will be a minor burden only for people to buy elsewhere and get it sent to them.
Do not give this crappy government one inch or they will see it as validation of their policy.
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Dear Mr Dutton
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