Canada: Committee would force telecoms to decrypt messages for law enforcement

cell-phone-tree-cc-flickr-spo0nman-640px

By Chantal Mack

Telecommunications companies would be forced to decrypt messages for law enforcement agencies if the federal government legislates recommendations outlined in a report by a House standing committee.

“Law enforcement agencies are way behind, or have been way behind, in the ability to deal with the new modes of communications,” said Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie, chair of the House standing committee on justice and human rights.

The report, The State of Organized Crime, states that although telecommunications can be intercepted, the service providers don’t always release standardized information to law enforcement agencies.

The committee argues that federal legislation could address this lack of standards by furthering ideas found in Bill C-30, the online surveillance bill. (more on timescolonist.com)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/canada/Committee%20would%20force%20telecoms%20decrypt%20messages%20enforcement/6398651/story.html