Australia in August proposed fines of up to A$10 million ($7.2 million) for institutions and prison terms for individuals who do not comply with a court request to give authorities access to private data. The government has said the proposed law is needed amid a heightened risk of terror attacks. A spokeswoman for Australia’s home affairs minister, who is overseeing the legislation, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. If the bill becomes law, Australia would be one of the first nations to impose broad access requirements on technology companies, though others are poised to follow. The so-called Five Eyes nations, which share intelligence, said last month they would demand access to encrypted emails, text messages, and voice communications through legislation.

Source: The Express Tribune October 03, 2018 04:52 UTC