The popular messaging service WhatsApp could be BANNED in the United Kingdom if the controversial ‘Snooper’s Charter’ legislation is passed. The online messaging services like WhatsApp, iMessage and Snapchat encrypt the communication between users, they fall under the cross hairs of the bill.
Prime Minister David Cameron is pressing ahead with new legislation that plans to stop people from sending any form of encrypted messages. “In our country, do we want to allow a means of communication between people which we cannot read?” said Prime Minister Cameron earlier this year. “My answer to that question is: ‘No, we must not’.”
Called the Investigatory Powers Bill, the ‘Snooper’s Charter’ would require big technology companies like Facebook, Google and Apple to keep records of the messages sent between users. If passed into law, the bill would require communications data to be stored for a year.
In practice, this would mean every tweet, email, Facebook message or Snapchat would be kept on file for cops to peruse at their leisure.
Would you want your government to be able to access all of your WhatsApp messages or Snapchat pictures?
