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What do we do if we pass a law that says this has to be…

“What do we do if we pass a law that says this has to be done, and then China says, oh, well, OK, we're going to pass that law too and we want access to every iPhone in China? Iran says the same thing, Russia says the same thing - you know, the bad guys go underground. They'll shift to some other…” quote by Angus King
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“What do we do if we pass a law that says this has to be done, and then China says, oh, well, OK, we're going to pass that law too and we want access to every iPhone in China? Iran says the same thing, Russia says the same thing - you know, the bad guys go underground. They'll shift to some other encrypted platform.”

Angus King

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Governments may demand backdoor access, but privacy seekers will migrate to other encrypted services.

In simple terms: If laws force access, users will switch platforms.

Key Takeaway

Expect continual cat‑and‑mouse over privacy.

Themes

privacy government technology surveillance resistance

Mood

concerned defensive analytical

Type

policy warning philosophical

When to use this quote

  • law enforcement
  • tech companies
  • activists
  • individual users
  • international negotiations

Key Concepts

encryption policy geopolitics digital rights

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can societies balance security and privacy?
  • What safeguards prevent abuse of backdoors?
A Different Perspective

Legal mandates can be circumvented by tech migration, limiting effectiveness.

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