Why Encryption Matters to Me and My Community

By Ambrose Etigu | Never in history has the world been so interconnected. The globe has witnessed unmatched growth of the internet and a spark of new possibilities, stretching the corners of the world; these have bolstered consumerism like never before and shaped a superficially egalitarian society we have become – In retrospect, it is also evidently a crime of scene feeding the villains as they go about their infamous trades, roiling the seemingly settled netizens.

What is our stake? The onus is on us to stimulate insights and forge actions that nurture a better world – we and our descendants deserve: let’s unravel the benefits of a thriving, trustworthy internet with encryption. With the rise of the youthful netizen- in the Ugandan context, we cannot afford a blind eye to encryption lest we’ll end up metaphorically boiling slowly in tepid water minus perceiving any danger that lies before us only to be cooked to death, just like a story of a boiling frog.

With most schools in Uganda adopting e-learning, a field that remains novel, journeying to the basics of the internet with emphasis on encryption should be considered. The children are getting more exposed to the workings of the internet now that they are only computer screens away from their parents – studying and working in the same vicinity. The children in their hyperactive phase of growth would want to experiment by posting personal details on the internet which could make them susceptible to cybercriminals: while there is no solid research yet, this is anticipated and in such an event fortifying online privacy and security online should be encouraged as first principles. The earlier we accept and create the future we need, the better, for it’s not simply a place we’re going to!

In the recent wake of the COVID19 pandemic, numerous disruptions in the digital space have been evident – the global internet traffic increase by 47% during Covid19 restates the unprecedented growth in the history of the internet and yet the internet remained resilient enough to accommodate this surge – the same spirit needs to be applied to encryption. Relaxing encryption measures to allow ‘exceptional access’ to law enforcement officers is a recipe for disaster as the same vulnerabilities can be exploited by the villains more treacherously.

It is interesting to note that while the narrative of encryption lingers in Uganda, government agencies, the key stakeholders supposed to fortify encryption measures continue to sideline these approaches even though it is a signatory to several privacy bodies. Following the 2021 presidential general elections in Uganda, a directive was passed to shut down over 100 VPNs to sidestep the expected ‘security threats’. These contradictions form a blend of internet structural crises that confront internet trustworthiness, a ripple effect felt by netizens – these failings not only suffocate internet freedom and confidentiality, but the opportunity accorded to us by the culture of consumerism the internet has fostered.

In Uganda, it is obvious the wave of digital innovations, coupled with the COVID19 dilemma disrupted the way we live: transportation, shopping, prayer, education, dating, work, social life, etc. – virtually all aspect of our life has been digitally interlocked, with the repository in the cloud: any efforts to upset the order of things will knock the human life off the balance and roil that which our lives intensely depends on – encryption remains the remedy. How best can we reorient our modern digital life to livingry?  We cannot renounce this important stage of our life but whirl in unison with this vortex of change – this is not merely coincidental but a change we have to embrace by collectively engaging in the process.

As I write this storyline, we are in the second wave of Covid19 lockdown and save for the ‘essential’ services most businesses are not in operation – while the agile ones and technology-biased are online, encryptions remains a significant tool to aid confidentiality and integrity during the exchange and provide leeway to sensitive communication without fear of being pried. With the workforce mainly home, including the politicians and legislators, encryption remains a key aspect for effective legislation – And as a country steers through these unforeseen challenges collectively, we need to embrace practical, flexible and proactive approaches that will lead us to a pro-encryption phase of this life, transiting us to freedom we desire.