The U.K.’s Home Office hired the M&C Saatchi advertising agency to launch a publicity campaign against end-to-end encryption, according to documents reviewed by Rolling Stone. A major objective is to mobilize public opinion against Facebook’s decision to encrypt its Messenger application. The media campaign will include testimonies from U.K. charities, law enforcement agencies, calls for the public to contact technology companies directly and “real-world stunts.” Proponents argue enhanced encryption makes it more difficult to fight crime and terrorism, while opponents believe diminished encryption is a threat to privacy and information security.
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