What Are the Consequences of Backdoors for Online Privacy?

Law enforcement agencies are concerned about Apple’s new end-to-end encryption protections for iCloud, arguing more warrant-proof encryption compromises their ability to protect the global public. When talking to The Washington Post, an FBI spokesperson even called for “lawful access by design” to effectively put a backdoor in otherwise secure products and services. The FBI isn’t alone in wanting encryption weakened, as proposals like the EU’s draft CSAM law and the UK’s Online Safety Bill also threaten end-to-end encrypted services. Encryption advocates argue these proposals are ripe for abuse and would harm online privacy and security.

Join ITIF’s Center for Data Innovation to discuss the potential benefits and costs of end-to-end encryption and what law enforcement access to user data could look like in the future.

• Watch here, or on datainnovation.org