Nostr Web Client

Replying to

Joe Nakamoto

Gm.

Smart people.

how did the govt intercept this “encrypted” Snapchat message?

Source:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68099669

Sjors Provoost 1y ago

> considering Snapchat is an encrypted app.

I can't find any claim by Snapchat that they are *end to end* encrypted. They probably only use https to encrypt the connection between the users phone and the server.

Most likely Snapchat can and does read all messages on the platform and proactively informs law enforcement and/or intelligence services.

Alternatively intelligence services have front / back door access to Snapchat servers.

Alternatively Snapchat uses something like CloudFlare to handle https encryption, in a way that lets CloudFlare and its NSA friends read everything that goes over the wire.

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Discussion

Sjors Provoost 1y ago

Hopefully he sues the UK government for warrantless surveillance, but my guess it that stands zero chance of success.

Sjors Provoost 1y ago

Of course there is also the possibility that one of his friends panicked and called the police just in case.

Sjors Provoost 1y ago

If Snapshat was sharing information proactively it gets tricky. If they did it out pure altruism then probably neither they nor the government can be blamed.

If they are forced to then it's really just government outsourcing their mass surveillance.

But maybe it's "voluntary". On one extreme that could be "it would be a shame if we did a tax audit", surveillance by extortion. But it could also be a bribe "dear government, he's some data, oh by the way maybe give us favorable tax treatment". Surveillance as a bribe? Is that a thing?

Sjors Provoost 1y ago

In any case: the wifi thing is a red herring.