The United Kingdom is currently reviewing a proposed law that could soon jeopardize the online privacy of its citizens. The Online Safety Bill, put forward by the ruling Conservative Party, seeks to impose restrictions on online activity which could ultimately lead to the elimination of end-to-end encryption. This would mean major services such as Signal and WhatsApp, who have already expressed their opposition in an open letter, would exit the country and deprive Britons of their ability to easily communicate privately.

The bill is of particular concern to the crypto community as it could potentially restrict access to the world's favorite encrypted messenger, Telegram. Current indications suggest that the bill is likely to pass into law during the summer, ending the truly private nature of internet messaging for those in the UK.

Despite international attention and outcry, the government appears to be rolling ahead with the proposed legislation without any public discussion or debate. This is in spite of the wide-reaching consequences it will have on civil liberties and the potential damage it could cause British businesses.

The bill began in response to Molly Russell's tragic suicide in 2017. The 14-year old girl's death raised awareness of how online content can be damaging to children, prompting the Ministry of Interior to consider implementing measures that would protect minors from such exposure. The solution, some politicians think, is to put companies and tech giants in charge of regulating harmful content.

Under the proposed law, those found to be failing to remove content that violates their terms of service, or implementing insufficient censorship or age restrictions, could face fines of up to 10 percent of their global revenue or website censorship. Pornography websites could also be affected, with services such as Pornhub required to provide better age verification technology.

The UK is set to become a major player in the cryptocurrency sphere in 2021, further fueling the need to find a balance between freedom and regulation. Whether they take a softer stance on the encryption issue will reveal a great deal about the government's attitude towards digital currency and its future in the country.



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