Commemorating Global Encryption Day
A call for governments to build a more secure Internet
21 October 2021
Paradigm Initiative (PIN) joins the online community and the Global Encryption Coalition to commemorate Global Encryption Day, a day to remind governments around the world that protecting and strengthening encryption is crucial to making the Internet safer for all. Encryption is not an attempt to breach national security or to hide, it is about online safety and securing information that is freely expressed and released within the context of human rights.
PIN believes that a human rights based approach to encryption is critical for promoting freedom of expression. However, our concern is that some governments are resorting to undermining strong encryption which in essence affects online safety and interferes with expression free from barriers. Encryption keeps everyone safe, governments included. It safeguards private individual and family moments, allows human rights defenders, journalists and whistleblowers a safe space to perform their mandate, keeps medical reports confidential to highlight some of the benefits. PIN urges everyone to defend and calls on governments to promote end-to-end encryption.
PIN urges governments to abandon plans that seek to weaken encryption, and the Internet as a whole, such as granting law enforcement agencies special powers to access private data on encrypted platforms. In addition, we urge everyone to make the switch to using strong encryption which includes;
- Using end-to-end encrypted messaging apps.
- Turning on encryption on personal devices or services.
- Using strong passwords.
- Keeping up with updates for your applications, devices and services.
- Turning on Two Factor Authentication (2FA) log-in.