December 18, 2025
Hostile? Hold my WhatsApp
Creating apps like Signal could be 'hostile activity' claims UK watchdog
UK says private chat makers could be 'hostile' — users joke, rage, and meme
TLDR: An official review says UK laws could label makers of encrypted chat apps as “hostile,” with even journalists in the splash zone. The comments erupted: jokes, outrage, and a split between privacy defenders and security hardliners—because this fight decides how safe and private our everyday messages will be.
The UK just floated calling makers of private chat apps hostile, and the internet exploded. Aeolun deadpanned, “I’m now a hostile actor!” while others raged the country has “gone off the deep end” and no longer values free speech. Some warned developers it may be unsafe to visit, others vowed to use more encryption so everything stays private. Then a contrarian twist: McDyver cheered the watchdog, saying this will push privacy tools underground—hurting ordinary people and ironically making criminals even harder to catch. The mood: whiplash between panic and punchlines.
Context: a review by Jonathan Hall KC says apps like Signal and WhatsApp could fit a broad “hostile activity” label because they make spying harder, and even journalists with embarrassing info could face scrutiny. Lawmakers already target encryption: Apple vs the Investigatory Powers Act, the Online Safety Act tightening rules, and Parliament pushing harder—talking even about VPNs. Experts fired back: Olivier Crépin-Leblond warned client-side scanning (software that scans your phone) could be hacked; Jemimah Steinfeld said breaking encryption endangers everyone. Then pera noted even MI6 runs a Tor “onion” site, plus a cheeky link. The vibe: memes, moral panic, and a fight over whether private messages are protection—or a problem.
Key Points
- •Jonathan Hall KC’s review warns UK laws are broad enough to classify developers of end-to-end encrypted apps as engaging in “hostile activity.”
- •The report suggests this classification could apply because encryption hampers intelligence monitoring, presumed to benefit foreign states.
- •Journalists carrying confidential or politically sensitive material could face similar scrutiny under the laws.
- •Apple reportedly received an IPA notice to weaken iCloud encryption and disabled Advanced Data Protection rather than add a backdoor.
- •Parliament debated a repeal petition for the Online Safety Act but favored stricter enforcement, with some MPs urging reviews of VPNs and experts warning against client-side scanning.