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.

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Original Posting: https://www.pcmag.com/news/does-this-bill-fight-online-child-exploitation-or-kill-encryption-depends