Free Expression, Government Surveillance
CDT Joins Letter Urging Governments to Support the Protection of Encryption and Ensure an Open Internet on World Press Freedom Day
Today, on World Press Freedom Day, CDT joined over 40+ other civil society organizations in an open letter calling on democratic governments to publicly pledge their support to protect encryption. In the letter, we call out legislative and regulatory attacks on encryption in the UK, the EU, the U.S., India and Australia.
Our letter points out that journalists, whistleblowers and activists depend on encryption to protect their data and their identity, and we urge democratic governments to refrain from blocking access to encrypted communication services — a measure adopted by authoritarian governments that democracies should reject.
***
From the letter:
Today, on World Press Freedom Day, we urge democratic leaders not to follow the path of authoritarian governments like Russia and Iran, who actively limit their citizens’ access to encrypted services. Protect encryption and uphold the human right to privacy. This is key to ensuring safety online, free and secure identity development, self-determination, free expression, freedom of the press, and other rights that are at the core of democracy.
