How the “Think of the Children” Narrative Is Being Used To Crush Online Free Speech and Privacy

The UK government's recent campaign against end-to-end encryption is the latest of many examples of the "think of the children" narrative being used to restrict individual rights or liberties in the name of protecting children from harm.

In this particular campaign, the UK government is pressing social media companies to "confirm they will not implement end-to-end encryption until they have the technology in place to ensure children will not be put at greater risk as a result." The UK government's goal is to soften public opinion before introducing new amendments to its controversial "Online Safety Bill". These amendments would force multi-national companies to install surveillance backdoors in end-to-end encrypted messaging apps that would allow third parties to snoop on anyone's private messages.

To put it simply, the UK government is asking the public to "think of the children" while it destroys their privacy.

Despite the major cost to everyone's privacy that these amendments would cause if they become law, this isn't the first time this "think of the children" narrative has been used to erode individual rights and it won't be the last.

…