UK law changes pose a threat to the security of messaging
Meredith Whittaker, president of Signal Foundation, added: “The combination of the IPA reforms and the online safety Act presents the possibility of a shocking level of state interference.
“If the choice came down to adulterating the security features that allow us to keep the privacy promises we make to the people who rely on Signal in the NHS or leaving, we would leave.”
An Ofcom spokesperson said that it will use its new online safety powers “in a way that is compatible with rights to privacy and freedom of expression” and “won’t be reviewing all harmful online material or be able to read private online messages.”
But Mike Grocott, professor of anaesthesia and critical care medicine at the University of Southampton, argued that tech companies are not prepared to subject their apps to this level of government surveillance.
If encrypted messaging apps withdraw from the UK, patient care would suffer, he said.
Sam Smith from patient privacy group MedConfidential agreed, saying: “Care is better when doctors can talk to each other.
“For a range of situations doctors find themselves in, only a general app like WhatsApp is easy to use.”
For Marcus Baw, the entire problem could have been avoided if the NHS had had the vision to build an end-to-end encrypted NHS approved app linked to NHS mail.
Baw hopes that someone in government is going to realise the electoral foolishness of the two pieces of legislation.
He said: “The tech companies are serious.
“Can you imagine the outcry from the population if WhatsApp withdraws from the UK?
“It would be an act of catastrophic self-harm by any government. Perhaps for once common sense will prevail.”
