[P2P-F] Fwd: [opennetcoalition] Open letter to the world’s governments: protect encryption!

Tue Jan 12 15:46:42 CET 2016

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: La Quadrature du Net <contact at laquadrature.net>
Date: Tue, Jan 12, 2016 at 9:42 PM
Subject: [opennetcoalition] Open letter to the world’s governments: protect
encryption!
To: opennetcoalition at laquadrature.net

Themes: SUVEILLANCE, INTERNET, ENCRYPTION, FRANCE, MANUEL VALLS, BERNARD
CAZENEUVE

La Quadrature du Net – For immediate release

Permanent link:
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/letter-world-governments-protect-encryption

Open letter to the world’s governments: protect encryption!

*** Paris, 4 January 2016 — La Quadrature du Net joins other organisations
and individuals around the world by signing the open letter to governments
in order to encourage them to promote encryption techniques for
communications and IT systems. The original letter and its signatories can
be found on the website "SecureTheInternet.org"[1]. ***

 We urge you to protect the security of your citizens, your economy, and
your government by supporting the development and use of secure
communications tools and technologies, rejecting policies that would
prevent or undermine the use of strong encryption, and urging other leaders
to do the same.

Encryption tools, technologies, and services are essential to protect
against harm and to shield our digital infrastructure and personal
communications from unauthorized access. The ability to freely develop and
use encryption provides the cornerstone for today’s global economy.
Economic growth in the digital age is powered by the ability to trust and
authenticate our interactions and communicate and conduct business
securely, both within and across borders.

Some of the most noted technologists and experts on encryption recently
explained that laws or policies that undermine encryption would “force a
Uturn from the best practices now being deployed to make the Internet more
secure,” “would substantially increase system complexity” and raise
associated costs, and “would create concentrated targets that could attract
bad actors.” The absence of encryption facilitates easy access to sensitive
personal data, including financial and identity information, by criminals
and other malicious actors. Once obtained, sensitive data can be sold,
publicly posted, or used to blackmail or embarrass an individual.
Additionally, insufficiently encrypted devices or hardware are prime
targets for criminals.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression has noted,
“encryption and anonymity, and the security concepts behind them, provide
the privacy and security necessary for the exercise of the right to freedom
of opinion and expression in the digital age.” As we move toward connecting
the next billion users, restrictions on encryption in any country will
likely have global impact. Encryption and other anonymizing tools and
technologies enable lawyers, journalists, whistleblowers, and organizers to
communicate freely across borders and to work to better their communities.
It also assures users of the integrity of their data and authenticates
individuals to companies, governments, and one another.

We encourage you to support the safety and security of users by
strengthening the integrity of communications and systems. All governments
should reject laws, policies, or other mandates or practices, including
secret agreements with companies, that limit access to or undermine
encryption and other secure communications tools and technologies. Users
should have the option to use – and companies the option to provide  the
strongest encryption available, including endtoend encryption, without
fear that governments will compel access to the content, metadata, or
encryption keys without due process and respect for human rights.

Accordingly:

* Governments should not ban or otherwise limit user access to encryption
in any form or otherwise prohibit the implementation or use of encryption
by grade or type;
* Governments should not mandate the design or implementation of
“backdoors” or vulnerabilities into tools, technologies, or services;
* Governments should not require that tools, technologies, or services are
designed or developed to allow for thirdparty access to unencrypted data
or encryption keys;
* Governments should not seek to weaken or undermine encryption standards
or intentionally influence the establishment of encryption standards except
to promote a higher level of information security. No government should
mandate insecure encryption algorithms, standards, tools, or technologies;
and
* Governments should not, either by private or public agreement, compel or
pressure an entity to engage in activity that is inconsistent with the
above tenets.

Strong encryption and the secure tools and systems that rely on it are
critical to improving cybersecurity, fostering the digital economy, and
protecting users. Our continued ability to leverage the internet for global
growth and prosperity and as a tool for organizers and activists requires
the ability and the right to communicate privately and securely through
trustworthy networks.

We look forward to working together toward a more secure future.

* References *

1. https://securetheinternet.org/

** About La Quadrature du Net **

La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that defends the rights and
freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for
the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding
principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge.

In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better
understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific and
pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to encourage
citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and freedoms in the
digital age.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, European and international
NGOs including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society
Institute and Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations:
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-la-quadrature-du-net

** Press contact and press room **

contact at laquadrature.net, +33 (0)972 294 426

https://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room

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