In a recent YouTube stream, Andreas Antolopoulos said that the controversial EARN Information technology Act might as well exist called "Fuck you, Zuckerberg".

The bi-partisan bill was written past Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and if passed, it would:

"Create incentives for companies to "earn" liability protection for violations of laws related to online kid sexual abuse material".

Antonopoulos: ceremonious rights aren't EARNed

Talking to Cointelegraph, Antonopoulos disagreed with that premise:

"The EARN It act is a backdoor encryption ban disguised equally a modification of the DMCA act [Digital Millennium Copyright Deed]. Civil rights aren't "EARNed", they are inalienable."

He believes that the proposed bill would infringe on civil rights:

"The onetime trope "Won't somebody think of the children" is used constantly to degrade freedoms. I think the children will not similar living nether totalitarian government control."

Furthermore, he contends that the real target of the bill are not criminals, who will have access to encryption regardless, simply regular citizens:

"Criminals will always take admission to encryption that is strong and without backdoors. The only question here is whether law abiding citizens volition. The residue is just manipulative propaganda without a shred of truth."

The Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act

The nib'south goal is to gainsay the sexual exploitation of children. It contends that the criminals are hiding behind the veil of encryption provided by the tech platforms to carry their heinous business. Withal, many privacy advocates have voiced concerns that under the lofty pretext, information technology curtails personal freedoms.

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has exempted tech platforms, like Facebook and Google, from being held liable for the content posted by its users. EARN It Deed would modify the status quo past making tech companies earn exemptions for practiced behavior. A recent Wired article speculates that tech companies might have to abandon end-to-finish encryption birthday:

"If it became law, companies might not exist able to earn their liability exemption while offer terminate-to-terminate encrypted services."

Facebook stands to lose the most

Predictably, Antonopoulos, who is known every bit a privacy advocate, had strong words of condemnation for the neb:

"Now, the EARN Information technology ACt could be called 'Fuck y'all, Zuckerberg'. Y'all're going to give us backdoors because that's effectively what information technology is. This is a very, very directed law that affects the largest content providers. It'due south not but Zuckerberg, of course, but certainly Facebook has the virtually to lose from this, peculiarly because of one awarding that they offering, which is called WhatsApp."

Nil-knowledge transactions are in danger

Discussing the possible ramifications for the crypto space, Antonopoulos opined that the companies that "engage in zero-knowledge transactions" may be afflicted. He speculates that they will no longer exist afforded protection from the liability posed by their users. At the aforementioned time, he believes that if passed, the EARN Information technology Human activity could accelerate decentralization:

"[It will] arguably, encourage more than decentralization. And then if a company has no command over its users transactions, then this doesn't really apply. I call up these types of regulations are actually aimed at centralized organizations and platforms and in the long term, undermining end-to-end encryption and undermining freedoms that we consider necessary to encourage free speech and expression and encourage the growth of independent media platforms."

Antonopoulos has no doubts that the bill will pass. Considering the bi-partizan nature of the proposed legislation and the guise of protecting children from molesters, he may be right.