Ban WhatsApp?

Online encrypted messages like iMessage, Snapchat, and WhatApp could be banned under a new legislation.

11:33 10 July 2015

The “Snooper Charter” legislation aims to ban online encrypted message like iMessage, Snapchat, and WhatsApp in the UK as conversation using these apps fall under the crosshairs of the bill. 

 

Called the Investigatory Powers Bill, the proposed law would required big technology companies such as Google, Apple, and Facebook to keep records of the messages sent between users for a year. The stored messages must then be made available if police need them for investigation purposes. 

 

"In our country, do we want to allow a means of communication between people which we cannot read?” said prime minister David Cameron back in January.

 

"My answer to that question is no we must not. If I am prime minister, I will make sure it is a comprehensive piece of legislation that makes sure we do not allow terrorist safe spaces to communicate with each other," he explained.

 

Meanwhile, the Open Rights Group, opposed the bill saying that adding the Snoopers Charter into an already complicated bill is an abuse of procedure.