MAR 05, 2020 | US
Does This Bill Fight Online Child Exploitation or Kill Encryption? Depends on Who You Ask
PCMag, March 5, 2020
By Michael Kan
A new bill intended to fight online child exploitation has garnered bipartisan support in Congress, but the tech industry fears it will end up undermining encryption. The EARN IT Act is facing pushback over provisions that would let US Attorney General William Barr determine what those best practices actually are—including if it means adding a backdoor into encrypted messaging systems.
The Software Alliance said it shares Congress's goal of stamping out online child exploitation, but wants to do so without undermining the security benefits of end-to-end encryption. “As Congress considers this legislation, it’s important to take into account the critical role encryption plays in online safety and as the first line of defense in combatting cybercrime, protecting critical infrastructure, and preserving national security,” the alliance said.
Original Posting: https://www.pcmag.com/news/does-this-bill-fight-online-child-exploitation-or-kill-encryption-depends
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The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the global trade association of the enterprise software industry, representing companies that are leaders in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and other cutting-edge technologies. We work in over 20 markets in the US, Europe, and Asia, advocating for policies that build trust in technology so that every industry sector and the public can benefit from innovation. BSA also supports its members and their customers by raising awareness of the risks of unlicensed software use and the benefits of software asset management, driving license compliance and software adoption around the world through sound IT procurement.