Google, Microsoft, and Facebook criticize UK spying laws

Silicon Valley's technology companies have united to urge the U.K. government to reconsider its new digital surveillance laws. The proposed Investigatory Powers Bill (IPB) in the U.K. includes controversial measures such as forcing ISPs to keep a record of every citizen's internet activity in a year.

The U.S. tech giants including Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, and Twitter have jointly submitted a written evidence to the U.K. Parliamentary committee considering the draft legislation. The firms say in the submission that they reject any proposals that would require weaker encyription to allow security service access, the Financial Times reported.

Theresa May, the U.K's home secretary who introduced the bill in November 2015, stated that the U.K. government does not wish to weaken encryption, the Verge reported. But the IPB itself states, "obligations relating to the removal of electronic protection applied by a relevant operator to any communication or data."

The companies urge the U.K. government not to introduce a legal duty that could require them to hack the accounts of customers. The firms say that the action would greatly degrade consumer trust to the companies, and that user trust is very important for them, according to Toms Hardware.

The tech giants cite the recent ruling from the European Union's top court saying that mass surveillance is illegal under E.U. law. So the U.K. could pass a law that is in conflict with that decision. The firms say the laws would create a conflict for the companies and put them in the difficult position of choosing between the U.K law and the E.U. law, or it would force them to leave the U.K. and even stop offering their services there.

The U.S. tech companies also say they are worried that if the U.K. passes the laws, then other countries will emulate what the U.K. does. They have been concerned that such a law could be adopted by regimes such as China and Rusia, which are also considering ways to upgrade their online spying regimes.

The Silicon Valley groups were among dozens of companies to criticize the spying bill. Over 120 pieces of written evidence submitted to the Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill. Apple submitted its own evidence on the bill last month. Other companies that have submitted evidence include Vodafone, TechUK, and EE Technologies.

The next meeting by the U.K.'s Parliament on the bill will be an oral evidence session with Theresa May that will set on January 13. The bill should be put up for a vote later this year.

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Silicon Valley, U.K., investigatory powers bill, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter

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