The Encryption Advocates Webinar Series is an event that features advocates from the encryption community discussing the latest trends and challenges in the field. The series was hosted by the Stakeholder Engagement Digital Webinar Series for Africa (SENDiWSA), a non-profit organization that is used by DNS Africa Media and Communications to educate, empower, and ensure capacity building in Africa, driving discussions around challenges and solutions.
One story used in the webinar series that demonstrates the effects of advocacy for encryption is the story of the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF) fight against the FBI's "backdoor" mandate. In 2016, the FBI proposed a new rule that would have required Apple to create a backdoor into its iOS operating system. The EFF and other privacy advocates argued that this backdoor would create a security vulnerability that could be exploited by criminals and foreign governments.
The EFF launched a massive public campaign against the backdoor mandate. The organization collected over two million signatures on a petition opposing the rule and filed a lawsuit against the FBI. In 2017, the FBI withdrew the mandate after it was unable to find a way to create a backdoor that did not compromise the security of iOS devices.
The EFF's victory in the fight against the backdoor mandate is a testament to the power of advocacy. By mobilizing the public and taking legal action, the EFF was able to defeat a dangerous proposal that would have weakened encryption and made everyone less safe.
Another story from the Encryption Advocates Webinar Series that demonstrates the effects of advocacy for encryption is the story of the Let's Encrypt initiative. Let's Encrypt is a non-profit organization that provides free SSL/TLS certificates to websites. SSL/TLS certificates are used to encrypt traffic between websites and users' browsers. This helps to protect users' privacy and security from eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Let's Encrypt was founded in 2016 by the EFF, Mozilla, Google, and Cisco. The initiative has been a huge success, with over 280 million websites now using Let's Encrypt certificates. This has helped to make the web a more secure place for everyone.
The Let's Encrypt initiative is a great example of how advocacy for encryption can have a positive impact on the world. By making encryption more accessible and affordable, Let's Encrypt is helping to protect the privacy and security of millions of people around the world.
These are just two examples of the many ways that advocacy for encryption can make a difference. By educating the public about the importance of encryption and fighting against harmful policies, encryption advocates are helping to make the world a safer place for everyone. Thanks to the Global Encryption Coalition, Africa and the world is building a force to empower everyone, everywhere.
