Australia Drafts Laws Forcing Facebook and Google to Reveal Encrypted Data

According to The Guardian (June 6, 2018) - Technology companies such as Facebook and Google would be forced to give Australian security agencies access to encrypted data under legislation to be introduced by the Turnbull government. But the government has refused to say how the security agencies would access the data. Previous attempts to legislate to allow access through what is termed a “backdoor” for security agencies have been frustrated by tech companies’ reluctance to allow government interference. Backdoor entry points have been resisted because they could introduce weaknesses in encryption services that could be exploited. But Nigel Phair, from the Centre for Internet Safety at the University of Canberra, said if the legislation avoided having to use a backdoor entry to encrypted data then it was likely that it would use a “front door”, a means of accessing the information before it was encrypted. “What we’re probably talking about here is straight up an agreement with the device manufacturer [to] enable law enforcement agencies at some stage to get access to data.”
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This is why it is important to use end-to-end, zero-access encryption. If a service provider holds your encryption keys, that provider may be compelled to compromise your private communications.