UK to Ban WhatsApp Within Weeks

United Kingdom is going to ban popular mobile messaging application, WhatsApp, within weeks according to new legislation.

UK to Ban WhatsApp Within Weeks According to a New Law Passed

British Prime Minister David Cameron told about this new legislation which plans to stop people from sending any form of encrypted messages. If the law is passed all online messaging services which ascent communications between their users could be banned.

Earlier this year, British Prime Minister David Cameron said:

[pull_quote_center]“In our country, do we want to allow a means of communication between people which we cannot read? My answer to that question is: ‘No, we must not’.[/pull_quote_center]

But WhatsApp has remained committed to keeping their services encrypted and unable to be read by authorities.

As a considerably large number of UK’s population uses WhatsApp, iMessage and Snapchat for messaging and all these services may be banned under the new legislation.

Cameron said:

[pull_quote_center]“We have always been able, on the authority of the home secretary, to sign a warrant and intercept a phone call, a mobile phone call or other media communications,”[/pull_quote_center]

The Investigatory Powers Bill allows exclusive rights to the investigators which requires internet service providers, phone companies and technology firms such as Google, Apple, Facebook and WhatsApp to keep a record of all activities.

After the new legislation, the UK police and government are likely to get access to the database information. They can get access of the database of all Google searches, Facebook conversations, WhatsApp group messages and SnapChat videos. According to the UK home secretary, the bill could be passed by Autumn.

This law is set due to the recent terror attacks on Britons to ensure the safety of citizens. However, many have criticized the law as a breach of privacy.

Executive director of The Open Rights Group Jim Killock said:

[pull_quote_center]“The government is signalling that it wants to press ahead with increased powers of data collection and retention for the police and GCHQ – spying on everyone, whether suspected of a crime or not,”[/pull_quote_center]

Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said:

[pull_quote_center] “We have every right to invade the privacy of terrorists and those we think want to do us harm, but we should not equate that with invading the privacy of every single person in the UK. They are not the same thing.”[/pull_quote_center]

On the other hand many criticize the upcoming controversial legislation. However it is still unclear what will be the full extent of powers granted by the Investigatory Powers Bill.

 

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Onsa Mustafa

Onsa is a Software Engineer and a tech blogger who focuses on providing the latest information regarding the innovations happening in the IT world. She likes reading, photography, travelling and exploring nature.

One Comment

  1. Wow, that’s just insane. It’s not OK for government to issue a mandate that makes personal privacy less safe and identify theft more likely. I want secure messaging to protect myself and my family from identify thieves and other malicious motives.

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