the way that they’re able to take these crazy anti-privacy measures without public support is making me such a doomer
They’re doing it in absolute secrecy, and letting some far-right (further right than Fidesz) to do bare-minimum lip service against it, so people against it will wrongfully get smeared as both “pedophiles” (because it’s a “child protection” bill) and far-right.
It’s not only about control but also a big threat for democracy and a stable society as a whole. Last year, for example, Chinese state-backed hacking group Salt Typhoon breached the U.S. telecom networks’ wiretap system (a backdoor legally required for law enforcement to access people’s private communication), forcing the authorities to urge U.S. citizens using encrypted messaging. So there is no such thing as a backdoor only for the good guys.
Breaking encryption opens the door not just for control but also for malign actors within the borders and from abroad. Where such democratic decline ends can be seen in China, for example, where total control and surveillance is suppressing any form of dissent.
(There is a very good documentary about the devastating consequences of surveillance for those interested: https://total-trust.org/.)
[Edit typo.]
Reminder that Nepolian banned civilians from using telegraph tech
