In this episode of Cog War, hosts Raymond and James dive into the complex and contentious topic of the "Crypto Wars," focusing on the EU's proposed Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sex Abuse, often referred to as "chat control" or client-side scanning. This regulation, driven by the Danish presidency of the European Parliament, aims to address serious issues like Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM), terrorism, grooming, and other online crimes but raises significant concerns about privacy, trust, and the integrity of cryptographic systems.

The episode explores the historical context of the Crypto Wars, starting from the 1990s when cryptography was treated as a military asset in the US, leading to legal battles over tools like PGP (Pretty Good Privacy). The hosts discuss how the current debate centers on client-side scanning, a technology proposed by Apple in 2021 to detect CSAM in encrypted communications without directly breaking encryption. This involves inserting an intermediary system between user input and encryption, which scans for specific content signatures. However, this approach has sparked fierce opposition from cryptographers, who argue it undermines the trust and security built into end-to-end encryption.

Key points include:

• Technical and Philosophical Concerns: Client-side scanning moves trust outside the cryptographic system, relying on external databases of hashed signatures that cannot be mathematically verified. This creates risks of misuse, such as governments or corporations adding non-CSAM content (e.g., specific words or political phrases) to these databases, potentially leading to surveillance overreach.
• Political Implications: The hosts frame the debate through three lenses:

1. Affective Arguments: The visceral reaction to privacy violations, akin to someone reading your diary, though this argument has evolved with changing internet norms and younger generations' familiarity with surveillance.
2. Turnkey Tyranny: Drawing on Edward Snowden’s warnings, the episode highlights fears that weakened cryptography could enable future authoritarian abuses, citing examples like period-tracking apps being subpoenaed post-Dobbs decision.
3. Rights-Based Perspective: Cryptography is seen as a negative right, protecting individuals from unauthorized state intrusion, akin to the US Second Amendment’s role in resisting centralized power.

• The "Four Horsemen" of the Info-Apocalypse: The episode addresses the main arguments for weakening cryptography, intellectual property violations, terrorism, CSAM, and crime. While acknowledging the severity of issues like CSAM, the hosts stress the need for human accountability and context in investigations, as algorithms lack the nuance to avoid misinterpretations or false positives.
• Global and Geopolitical Risks: The EU’s proposal could set a precedent for authoritarian regimes to demand similar access to encrypted communications, expanding surveillance beyond its intended scope. The hosts also warn of the technical challenges, such as the need for mass packet scanning akin to China’s Great Firewall.

Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of sensitive topics like CSAM, terrorism, grooming, and Hurt Core, with a clap to signal sections listeners may wish to skip.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.