Edward Snowden warns governments that ending encryption will result in death

The end to online privacy has long been a ticking time bomb. Internet anonymity has never been perfect, but the privacy that the Internet does offer is starting to be threatened. As governments push to kill end-to-end encryption, Edward Snowden has pushed back.

Reported by TNW, the controversial whistleblower is fighting against the end of online encryption. Snowden is fighting in defence of his belief that the end of encryption will certainly result in death.

Edward Snowden fights back against encryption killing

Governments across the world are attempting to destroy end-to-end encryption. The reason: criminals are able to hide behind the afforded privacy to commit gang activity or plan terrorist attacks. However, that criminal mindset is only a small minority.

End-to-end encryption also protects individuals. Journalists, activists and online minorities — such as LGBTQ+ people — are protected through encryption, especially in countries that seek to do harm to them.

Edward Snowden, no doubt benefiting from encryption himself, explained that ending online privacy would result in death. He said:

“If you weaken encryption, people will die. This year alone, after the fall of the government of Afghanistan, we saw how crucial encryption is in keeping ordinary people safe. “I have seen first-hand how governments can abuse the power they have to access the personal data of innocent people in the name of national security. Weakening encryption would be a colossal mistake that could put thousands of lives at risk.”

Read More: AI researchers are creating God, says scared Ex-Google exec

The Global Encryption Coalition

In order to continue fighting governmental plans, Snowden has joined the Global Encryption Coalition. Consisting of a group of over 200 members, the group aims to keep end-to-end encryption active on the Internet.

If encryption was to disappear, Snowden warns that everything from family photographs to an individual’s healthcare information would be easily accessible. Additionally, the exact form of spy tools that Snowden fought against in the early 2010s would be more viable than ever.

Read More: AI audio tools sent the wrong man to jail for a year