President Trump’s attorney general pick Jeff Sessions could restart the encryption fight

“President-elect Donald Trump today named Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) as his choice for attorney general,” Russell Brandom reports for The Verge.

“The choice has already alarmed Trump critics for a number of reasons — particularly his role in drafting Trump’s proposal to temporarily ban muslim immigration — but for tech companies, there may be another concern entirely. Less than a year after prosecutors took Apple to court over an iPhone linked to the San Bernardino shootings, a Sessions-led Justice Department could be exactly what law enforcement needs to restart the encryption fight,” Brandom reports. “Sessions has to be confirmed by the Senate before he can officially take the post, but observers say it’s unlikely Democrats can effectively block the nomination.”

“A former prosecutor, Sessions was one of the FBI’s staunchest allies during the San Bernardino case, and has long criticized companies that design products without mechanisms for government access. As head of the Justice Department, Sessions would have the power to prosecute companies that don’t cooperate with law enforcement demands under the All Writs Act, the same mechanism used against Apple earlier this year,” Brandom reports. “‘We need to be prepared for a full frontal assault on the right to encrypt in 2017,’ says Open Technology Institute director Kevin Bankston. ‘It’s time for folks who care about cybersecurity, privacy, innovation and the tech economy to start digging trenches.'”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Oppose government overreach.

There have been people that suggest that we should have a back door. But the reality is if you put a back door in, that back door’s for everybody, for good guys and bad guys. — Apple CEO Tim Cook, December 2015

The FBI tries to frame this as privacy versus safety. And when you frame it that way, of course you’d say, well, we want our lives. But that’s not the proper frame. Because you can’t do back doors just for the good guys. – U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu, April 29, 2016

SEE ALSO:
U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu says strong encryption without backdoors is a ‘national security priority’ – April 29, 2016
Congressman Ted Lieu asks FBI to drop demand that Apple hack iPhones – February 23, 2016

73 Comments

      1. Jeff sessions is a fucking segregationist. You’re a mother fucking idiot for saying that. Btw, we move to Toronto February 3rd. Enjoy your white supremicist eutpoia.

        1. America will be poorer for one (or two) voices of reason when you leave, but I don’t think anyone can blame you for that decision.

          While Trump himself declared that marriage equality is settled law, it is important to remember that both of the houses of congress are still in conservative hands, and if by any chance Bader-Ginsburg retires (or worse) over the next two years, that marriage equality may well fly right out the door, regardless of Trump’s declarations on the matter.

        2. Nice try, botty. But, as always, you refuse to take responsibility for the original act. Just like most of your brethren, you just aren’t responsible for anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if Political science textbooks in some Republican states soon omit George Bush from our history.

        3. Yeah, the dastardly R’s that voted for the Patriot act while the staunch defenders of freedom and liberty, the glorious D’s stood steadfast to block this horrible act! … oh wait, that didn’t happen… but at least they moved to rid us of this horrid bill after they took power… oh wait.. that didn’t happen either..

          Well at least Predrag can ignore reality, and history and live in his little safespace thought bubble, divorced from the nasty world around him.

        4. You should learn not to put words in other people’s mouths. It is dishonest (and unsanitary).

          As I said, the fight for encryption was an uphill battle under Democrats.

          And I also said that the Patriot act was brought to you by the republicans. Which one of these two is not true?

        5. Truth does not matter to them. It is the gut feeling that they are right that matters. And they are willing to twist or invent and information necessary to support their gut feelings.

          Have you ever seen Colbert’s old shows on which he expounded on Republican “truthiness?” They are incredibly accurate for the alt right and extremist right.

        6. Unfortunately, your moving to Toronto doesn’t preclude you from coming back to MDN. And, is “eutpoia” how they spell utopia in Canada? Whatever, if we could get more of you libtards who said they were leaving to actually do it, we WOULD have a real utopia. 🖕

        7. Weak, very weak. You have subjected the rest of us to your freaking idea of the “right” way of governing, and the future is growing dimmer by the minute. You guys don’t even know what the word “conservative” means anymore. You have religious conservatives, business conservatives, social conservatives, etc. And now you have allowed the “racial” conservatives (white supremacists) and “alt right” radical conservatives (bigots and haters) to define your party agenda.

          We will battle like hell over the next four years and pick up the pieces when you are done trashing the country. Voters will quickly figure out that things can get worse…much worse…and that change (including reactionary change) is not necessarily better. Who would have thought that we might soon be longing for the political status quo from 2009-2016?!

        8. Gee, thanks for having a temper tantrum and abandoning us. The rest of us that are unhappy with the election will stay and do our best to fix things, and when we have, please, by all means, don’t come back.

        9. Hey guys, don’t you know there’s no reasoning with the psychotic. Quit wasting your breath, and join in LIVE BLUE — CAloha — it’s been real, but it’s time to go. Except, well hell, I guess if we left it would be cruel to all the Left Behinds. I mean, they’ve got nothing but their frothing anger and sphincter clenching fear — who would feed them, care for them? Their states would go bust without all the CA dollars they receive from DC. OK. We’ll stay, but we’re gonna make The Golden State a sanctuary for science, compassion, education, clean air, clean water, and be petro-free in next to no time at all. Oh, man are the MAGA’s gonna be pissed.

        10. You leftist fucktards don’t let facts interfere with your bullshit. Desegregated Alabama schools, prosecuted and got death penalty for a klansman and forced a settlement on KKK that pretty much broke their back in Alabama. Yeah, that was Senator Sessions. GDIAF clown.

        11. Need company? There is a long list of celebs that need a role model like you to get them moving and to make good on their threat/promise made pre-election. As I see it, they’re dragging their feet. Please help.

        1. Not if the so-callled “religion” includes Sharia law as one of whose main tenets as proscribed by the Koran is that it is subservient to no nation’s law, including the US Constitution. That tenet alone is, by definition, treason.

        2. Orenokoto, I honor your service. But that does not make you right. Others who have served may not agree with you. And military service is not a requirement to hold a valid opinion.

          My father served in three wars including tha tail end of WWII. He grew up during the depression – he was a little over three when the market crashed. If he were alive today, he would staunchly oppose banning Muslims. My father fought for thie love of this country and the ideals of the Constitution on which it was founded. “We the people” *does not* exclude Muslims. The Constitutional right to free of religion *does* include Muslims.

          I honor your service. But I am greatly saddened by your position on this issue.

        3. Terrorist Acts by religion, January 1, 2016 to yesterday:
          • Christianity – 0
          • Judaism – 0
          • Hindu – 0
          • Taoism – 0
          • Jainism – 0
          • Baha’i – 0
          • Confucianism – 0
          • Islam – 2,191 attacks in 59 countries, in which 19,088 people were killed and 23,575 injured.

          Islam is not a religion, it is a death cult whose Sharia law supersedes all nation’s laws where it festers.

        4. Well Eugene, having linked to this article, you must realize that there are two varieties of Islam: Sunni and Shiite. Are you aware that sharia law is vastly different for the two groups? Do you know which group you think has the worst form of sharia law? Continue your education and find out.

          If you read the list that you linked to, you would notice that the US of A is hardly ever harmed by these attacks and that there are more children harmed in the US of A by gun toting US citizens in their own schools than harmed by a few ignorant supposed Muslims. You really have the capacity to rise up and teach yourself a greater truth than the blind hate that you seem to have.

    1. You are aware that it is the government that makes amendments and your hero Donald Trump’s version of a government is in the perfect position to make a few more amendments. #NotMyPresident

        1. This may be helpful:

          Article V of the Constitution prescribes how an amendment can become a part of the Constitution. While there are two ways, only one has ever been used. All 27 Amendments have been ratified after two-thirds of the House and Senate approve of the proposal and send it to the states for a vote. Then, three-fourths of the states must affirm the proposed Amendment.

          The other method of passing an amendment requires a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States. That Convention can propose as many amendments as it deems necessary. Those amendments must be approved by three-fourths of the states.

        2. So, as you can plainly read, President Trump nor any president has no actual procedural or legal involvement in the creation of a new amendment. They can only wield influence from a bully pulpit or cheerleader advocacy.

    2. Congratulations, botty and the rest of you self-righteous twats on this forum. This is just the beginning of the evil thou hast wrought. Welcome to hell on Earth. We have handed over this country to the alt right fringe and the results could be truly historically awful.

      Get your battle gear on, folks. We have four years of idiocy to vigorously oppose, and I am not talking about whining online like those we know all too well.

      1. The Evil was drunk and attacking her campaign manager and #1 sycophant and did not have the ovaries to go and speak to her own supporters.

        Your marxist insurrection is over, Melvin. There will be no open border, no North American Union, there will be no more Sanctuary Cities, there will be no more new world order. Your Nazi collaborator, George Soros’s manipulation of idiots like you will soon be over too.

    1. Your hero just agreed to pay $25 million to settle a massive class action lawsuit against him. That’s pretty much standard procedure for incoming presidents isn’t it? My god you are probably the single dumbest motherfucker on the entire internet.

        1. The Republicans control the Senate. There is no way that they would impeach one of their own (sort of), no matter how corrupt he turns out to be. They will rationalize that being Republican, even RINO, makes one above to the law. The ends justify the means, right?

  1. Fight, an encryption fight? What’s up with that journanalistic patriotism. Fight? That’s ludicrous, I mean battle yes, war, killer encryption app, holocaustic scorched earth encryption policy but a fight?

    It’s headlines like that that will get journanalists on the short list as residence of the new Gitmotrumpo on the Bay Resort.

  2. “…but observers say it’s unlikely Democrats can effectively block the nomination.”

    I don’t know what observers you’re talking about, but there are a whole bunch of Republicans who aren’t too keen on Sessions either. You DO know that Sessions was turned down for a Federal judgeship by a GOP Senate back in the 1980s because he was too much of a racist jerk even for them!

    1. Just when you thought the libtard meltdown couldn’t get any more hilarious:

      The Hill reported: “President-elect Trump should consider her [Hillary Clinton] for the position,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), whose district includes Trump Tower in Manhattan. She added that Clinton “would make an excellent Ambassador to the United Nations.”Clinton “will never stop working,” Maloney said. “She will always make a difference and will always be a part of the dialogue in a positive way to advance the values of America.”

      c’mon you guys, please stop…I’m bustin’ a gut with laughter.

      1. mama, make it stop! …

        SANFORD, Fla. – A Santa Claus at Seminole Towne Center in Sanford has been removed from his duties after an Oviedo woman claimed that he told her child Hillary Clinton was on his naughty list.

  3. ‘Here’s a clue for you all…”

    BOTH the Republican AND Democrats are worthless crap parties that do NOT represent We The People. So you can stop arguing now and HATE on BOTH parties. Expect Garbage-In, Garbage-Out from both and be done with them.

    Are you getting it now?

    Find or form third parties that actually REPRESENT We The People, the US citizens, and NO ONE ELSE. No more oligarchy BS. No more corporatocracy BS. No more Israel puppeteering our government BS. No more nothing but individual US citizens speaking out for what they need, want, desire, require. Lobbyists, go bury yourselves in a field out of sight and out of mind. The US Constitution rules and that means US.

    Tell me. What is there to hate about that? Please. Tell me.

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