On March 5th, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies (EARN IT) Act. The bill would threaten free speech on the internet and make the internet less secure by undermining strong encryption.
While balancing the needs of national and individual security in today’s fragile cybersecurity landscape is challenging, this bill creates problems rather than offering a solution.
The law enforcement community has made it clear this law is another attempt to weaken the encryption that is the bedrock of digital security. Encryption ensures our information — from our sensitive financial and medical details to emails and text messages — is protected. Without it, the world is a far more dangerous place.
While well-intentioned, the EARN IT Act would cause great harm to the open internet and put everyday Americans at greater risk. We look forward to working with Sens. Graham and Blumenthal and their respective committees to find better ideas to create a safer and more secure internet for everyone.