For all BlackBerry users over in India, it's time to hold your breath (but not for too long). Reports all over the web are surfacing that the Indian Government is demanding RIM either allows it to decrypt all emails or shut down the entire Indian Berry network at the end of this month. The Indian government wants to monitor all incoming and outgoing BlackBerry email in the country. That's pretty darn serious stuff!
RIM, carriers and government officials are due to meet shortly to try and hammer out a solution on the 14th. This looks like a sticky situation.
ISP's are concerned that if RIM complies with the demands, all encrypted wireless data will be open to spying, making ecommerce for all intents and purposes impossible.
This is going to be one interesting ride over the next few weeks. Since all BlackBerry traffic gets routed through Canadian NOCs first, this is going to have some international implications should RIM choose to comply.
Put on your boxing gloves RIM. It's go time.
[ via Business Standard ]
Reader comments
Indian Government Threatens RIM With Network Shutdown
Don't back Down RIM'
If the Indian government want to close it down, let it be.
Then they will have to use Treo or other devices. and after the Indian government shutdown, since they have to keep rebooting their device, and their economy in ruin, they will switched back to BB.
US and Canadian network already decrypt random messages, so there is nothing new in it.
I guess the Indian government is worried that BBs are being used by groups indulging in terrorist activity. So it becomes a question of national security. In that sense if they want to snoop on BB messages I am with them.
"Terrorism" is used to justify almost everything these days. It's mostly a bunch of crap, and the Indian government is mostly full of themselves. What are we supposed to do - hand over our civil liberties, undress in the streets, chop off our own heads for the sake of "terrorism"? They're really milking this for all it's worth.
Screw the Indian government. Terrorism isn't going away. It's been around for hundreds of years, so deal with it and let the rest of us LIVE OUR LIVES!!!!!