Seeking way around encryption, leading intelligence agencies write to tech cos

An alliance of intelligence agencies from the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand along with signatories from India and Japan have written to technology companies which provide end-to-end encryption in their communication platforms to “work with the government” towards solutions which could help law enforcement agencies better pursue hardened criminals.

In a letter signed by the UK’s Secretary of State for the Home Department Priti Patel, Attorney General of the US William Barr, Australian Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton, and others including signatories from India and Japan, the countries said that while they supported encryption’s role in personal data and privacy protection, it also posed “significant challenges to public safety”.