Mathematics is universal, and the mathematics on which strong encryption depends is quite as inflexible as that which specifies Earth’s orbit round the sun. If the encryption on terrorists’ messages were weakened so that the government could read them, the same weakening would apply to everyone else, however innocent. But the government has its own reasons for pursuing a noisy attack on the internet companies. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Amber Rudd’s demand that the big digital companies weaken the encryption they use on their messages is unrealistic. The bad reason for the government’s public assault on the internet companies is just as urgent, though.

Source: The Guardian March 27, 2017 18:45 UTC