Is WhatsApp user Amber Rudd happy for police to see what SHE’s saying on it?

Last Updated: March 27, 2017By

It’s just an idle question, prompted by the above image.

If I was a police officer with power to monitor politicians’ personal messages – by phone, email or whatever – then I would certainly want to do so.

I would be particularly interested if anything happened that was likely to knock – off the top of the news – an incident that was embarrassing to the ruling political party (for example).

Call me suspicious if you like (and I know some of you are already typing “Hello, Suspicious!” into your comment boxes) but it’s always a good idea to eliminate all possible suspects from any investigation in the most efficient way possible.

Right, Ms Rudd?

Amber Rudd has called for the police and intelligence agencies to be given access to WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging services to thwart future terror attacks, prompting opposition politicians and civil liberties groups to say her demand was unrealistic and disproportionate.

The home secretary said it was “completely unacceptable” that the government could not read messages protected by end-to-end encryption and said she had summoned leaders of technology companies to a meeting on Thursday 30 March to discuss what to do.

Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Rudd refused to rule out passing new legislation to tackle encrypted messaging if she did not get what she wanted.

Source: WhatsApp must be accessible to authorities, says Amber Rudd | Technology | The Guardian

Join the Vox Political Facebook page.

If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!

Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(
but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:

Donate Button with Credit Cards

Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.


The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

HWG PrintHWG eBook

Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

HWG PrintHWG eBook

The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:

SWAHTprint SWAHTeBook

5 Comments

  1. Jt Zoonie March 27, 2017 at 11:51 pm - Reply

    Because they have already voted themselves excempt

  2. Joan Edington March 28, 2017 at 8:12 am - Reply

    I remember the days when our government criticised countries like China for thier policies like this. The UK is quickly becoming like a 3rd world dictatorship. I correct myself; worse than a 3rd world dictatorship.

  3. nick March 28, 2017 at 10:53 am - Reply

    the encryption for wattsapp etc/ banking is either on or off for all to either see and hack or nothing for security

    that’s the bottom line’ if there is a back door then that back door could be used by anyone worldwide hence there is no back door

    amber rudd is typically one of those that thought they had a good education’ but the reality is that was years ago and now to just lay the blame on new technology because that’s whats most convenient

    today’s encryption technology is so complex most people even when advanced struggle to understand it fully

  4. Barry Davies March 28, 2017 at 11:09 am - Reply

    Apparently there si no technology that is able to break the encryption in any event.

  5. Mephisto March 29, 2017 at 1:24 am - Reply

    The woman hasn’t the faintest clue what she’s talking about, demonstrated by her desire to find “the people who understand the necessary hashtags to stop this stuff ever being put up”. Now, to be fair to her she is probably confusing hash tag with hashing but then she’s spent months consulting on the snoopers charter she should have at least a grounded understanding of basic security and encryption by now, and if she doesn’t she has no place legislating on it.

Leave A Comment