HAVE YOUR SAY?
THE DEBATE ON ENCRYPTION USED IN COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES.
I AM CONDUCTING RESEARCH AS PART OF MY UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECT AS A FORENSIC COMPUTING STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE. I AM INTERESTED TO COLLECT VIEWS ON THE USE OF END-TO-END ENCRYPTION SOFTWARE THAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR USERS OF COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY. APPLICATIONS SUCH AS WHATSAPP AND BITCHAT NOW PROVIDE THE FACILITY TO HAVE ENCRYPTED COMMUNICATIONS IN REAL TIME AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT INVESTIGATING AUTHORITIES CAN MONITOR SOME COMMUNICATIONS OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PEOPLE ON-LINE. THIS HAS PRESENTED A PROBLEM FOR INVESTIGATORS AND THE HEAD OF MI5, THE FBI AND INTERPOL SUPPORT THE VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE AUTHORITIES TO HAVE ''NO GO'' AREAS ON THE INTERNET. PROVIDING ASSURANCE CAN BE GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC THAT SURVEILLANCE METHODS ARE AUTHORISED ONLY TO TARGET THOSE WHO ARE SUSPECTED OF OFFENCES SUCH AS TERRORISM AND CHILD ABUSE, IN THEIR VIEW INVESTIGATORS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO DECRYPT COMMUNICATIONS IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL SECURITY.
IN CONTRAST SINCE THE REVELATIONS REVEALED BY EDWARD SNOWDEN PRIVACY CAMPAIGNERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ARE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT USER PRIVACY AND MANY SUPPORT THE USE OF COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS UN-MONITORED PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS FOR ALL USERS INCLUDING MINORS.
I HAVE DEVISED A SURVEY ON THIS SUBJECT TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION AND WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW YOUR VIEWS. ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ANONYMOUS.