FalconsForPeace
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BlackBerry has approved they are ending their business in Pakistan entirely in response to the national government’s continued demand to monitor user data on the Canadian company’s service.
Privacy and security has always been a major selling point for BlackBerry
Back in July, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) said it would shutter BlackBerry Enterprise Services (known as BES) by December 1 for “security reasons.” The issue was thought to center around BlackBerry’s encryption of emails, BBM messages and other data from its users which prevented authorities from gaining the access to information that they deemed necessary for national security.
BlackBerry kept silent at the time, but now the phone maker, which recently launched its first Android handset, has confirmed it will leave the country — with a population of 180 million people — after November 30 after it refused to grant Pakistani authorities access to its systems.
BlackBerry COO Marty Beard explained more in a blog post:
The truth is that the Pakistani government wanted the ability to monitor all BlackBerry Enterprise Service traffic in the country, including every BES e-mail and BES BBM message. But BlackBerry will not comply with that sort of directive. As we have said many times, we do not support “back doors” granting open access to our customers’ information and have never done this anywhere in the world.
Pakistan’s demand was not a question of public safety; we are more than happy to assist law enforcement agencies in investigations of criminal activity. Rather, Pakistan was essentially demanding unfettered access to all of our BES customers’ information. The privacy of our customers is paramount to BlackBerry, and we will not compromise that principle.
Interestingly, while the PTA was focused only on gaining access to BES, BlackBerry said it has decided to withdraw its consumer business (BIS: BlackBerry’s Internet Services) from the country too.
“Pakistan’s demand for open access to monitor a significant swath of our customers’ communications within its borders left us no choice but to exit the country entirely,” Beard added.
“As we have said many times, we do not support “back doors” granting open access to our customers information and have never done this anywhere in the world,” said BlackBerry COO Marty Beard. “The privacy of our customers is paramount to BlackBerry, and we will not compromise that principle.”
Instead of just stopping its business services, the company will also remove its consumer services, showing it’s commitment to maintaining user privacy, and refusal to bend to governmental will if it goes against company policy
It is not clear how many of the 180 million people living in Pakistan own a BlackBerry, or how many companies use its enterprise software to secure communications.It’s also unclear if the Pakistan government’s deadline extension indicates there are ongoing talks, or if it’s prepared to change its stance on user privacy if it means BlackBerry will continue to operate there. However, it has blocked access to YouTube in the country since 2012 over a row regarding removal of a certain video, showing it’s happy to deny services that don’t comply with its censorship demands.
Privacy and security has always been a major selling point for BlackBerry, for both consumer and business customers, but it has faced growing competition over the past years. Privacy-focused Android devices such as the Blackphone 2 and the GranitePhone have both captured headlines recently, and Apple has made its own refusal to share encrypted data with law enforcement a talking point.
While it isn’t clear exactly how many customers — business and consumer — BlackBerry has in Pakistan, the phone-maker has seen its consumer market share dwindle to an all-time low, even in emerging markets where it once ruled, as affordable Android devices with more apps and options have risen. For that reason, its presence within the enterprise space is particularly important — although even that pie is being eaten at by Apple and Android phone makers taking advantage of ‘bring your own device’ policies that enable employees to have consumer devices as work phones.
Pakistan isn’t likely to be a major revenue source for the company, and, on the positive side, this move shows it is making a stand for user data and security, two areas where it has long believed that it can stand apart from the competition — particularly in the enterprise space. You be sure that BlackBerry will be keen to make that point to its existing and prospective customers.
Long term watchers of BlackBerry (which was formerly known as RIM), will be aware that the company wasn’t always so principled on security. After a long back and forth in India, it gave authorities access to data from BBM and BIS in 2013, while it was thought to have made concessions to do business in Russia and China in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Those were pre-Snowden-NSA times, and heightened awareness of monitoring could be a swaying factor too.
According to the post, the Pakistani government wanted the company to provide a back door that would allow it to monitor traffic through Blackberry Services. However, the company declined the request because it would be going against the company’s policy on user privacy. Mr. Beard further added that the company does not grant backdoor access, and it has never done so. The company’s decision to exit the Pakistani market is a clear indication that the firm does not plan to change its policy on back door access any time soon.
The CEO further added that the government’s request was not about public safety because the Pakistan government was requesting access to information belonging to all of the BES customers. Data privacy is important to Blackberry, and the company is more than willing to assist law enforcement agencies as long as it does not break its principles. Mr. Beard stated that the company decided to exit the Pakistani market because the demand by the Pakistani government for open access would be a tough blow to communications by users in the country.
The firm has also been experiencing pressure from other countries with requests for access to user information. Blackberry has not revealed the number of customers that it will lose from Pakistan. Nevertheless, the firm’s customer base has been declining even in the upcoming markets where it once thrived.
http://www.albanydailystar.com/busi...ata-demand-worcester-daily-science-12150.html
Privacy and security has always been a major selling point for BlackBerry
Back in July, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) said it would shutter BlackBerry Enterprise Services (known as BES) by December 1 for “security reasons.” The issue was thought to center around BlackBerry’s encryption of emails, BBM messages and other data from its users which prevented authorities from gaining the access to information that they deemed necessary for national security.
BlackBerry kept silent at the time, but now the phone maker, which recently launched its first Android handset, has confirmed it will leave the country — with a population of 180 million people — after November 30 after it refused to grant Pakistani authorities access to its systems.
BlackBerry COO Marty Beard explained more in a blog post:
The truth is that the Pakistani government wanted the ability to monitor all BlackBerry Enterprise Service traffic in the country, including every BES e-mail and BES BBM message. But BlackBerry will not comply with that sort of directive. As we have said many times, we do not support “back doors” granting open access to our customers’ information and have never done this anywhere in the world.
Pakistan’s demand was not a question of public safety; we are more than happy to assist law enforcement agencies in investigations of criminal activity. Rather, Pakistan was essentially demanding unfettered access to all of our BES customers’ information. The privacy of our customers is paramount to BlackBerry, and we will not compromise that principle.
Interestingly, while the PTA was focused only on gaining access to BES, BlackBerry said it has decided to withdraw its consumer business (BIS: BlackBerry’s Internet Services) from the country too.
“Pakistan’s demand for open access to monitor a significant swath of our customers’ communications within its borders left us no choice but to exit the country entirely,” Beard added.
“As we have said many times, we do not support “back doors” granting open access to our customers information and have never done this anywhere in the world,” said BlackBerry COO Marty Beard. “The privacy of our customers is paramount to BlackBerry, and we will not compromise that principle.”
Instead of just stopping its business services, the company will also remove its consumer services, showing it’s commitment to maintaining user privacy, and refusal to bend to governmental will if it goes against company policy
It is not clear how many of the 180 million people living in Pakistan own a BlackBerry, or how many companies use its enterprise software to secure communications.It’s also unclear if the Pakistan government’s deadline extension indicates there are ongoing talks, or if it’s prepared to change its stance on user privacy if it means BlackBerry will continue to operate there. However, it has blocked access to YouTube in the country since 2012 over a row regarding removal of a certain video, showing it’s happy to deny services that don’t comply with its censorship demands.
Privacy and security has always been a major selling point for BlackBerry, for both consumer and business customers, but it has faced growing competition over the past years. Privacy-focused Android devices such as the Blackphone 2 and the GranitePhone have both captured headlines recently, and Apple has made its own refusal to share encrypted data with law enforcement a talking point.
While it isn’t clear exactly how many customers — business and consumer — BlackBerry has in Pakistan, the phone-maker has seen its consumer market share dwindle to an all-time low, even in emerging markets where it once ruled, as affordable Android devices with more apps and options have risen. For that reason, its presence within the enterprise space is particularly important — although even that pie is being eaten at by Apple and Android phone makers taking advantage of ‘bring your own device’ policies that enable employees to have consumer devices as work phones.
Pakistan isn’t likely to be a major revenue source for the company, and, on the positive side, this move shows it is making a stand for user data and security, two areas where it has long believed that it can stand apart from the competition — particularly in the enterprise space. You be sure that BlackBerry will be keen to make that point to its existing and prospective customers.
Long term watchers of BlackBerry (which was formerly known as RIM), will be aware that the company wasn’t always so principled on security. After a long back and forth in India, it gave authorities access to data from BBM and BIS in 2013, while it was thought to have made concessions to do business in Russia and China in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Those were pre-Snowden-NSA times, and heightened awareness of monitoring could be a swaying factor too.
According to the post, the Pakistani government wanted the company to provide a back door that would allow it to monitor traffic through Blackberry Services. However, the company declined the request because it would be going against the company’s policy on user privacy. Mr. Beard further added that the company does not grant backdoor access, and it has never done so. The company’s decision to exit the Pakistani market is a clear indication that the firm does not plan to change its policy on back door access any time soon.
The CEO further added that the government’s request was not about public safety because the Pakistan government was requesting access to information belonging to all of the BES customers. Data privacy is important to Blackberry, and the company is more than willing to assist law enforcement agencies as long as it does not break its principles. Mr. Beard stated that the company decided to exit the Pakistani market because the demand by the Pakistani government for open access would be a tough blow to communications by users in the country.
The firm has also been experiencing pressure from other countries with requests for access to user information. Blackberry has not revealed the number of customers that it will lose from Pakistan. Nevertheless, the firm’s customer base has been declining even in the upcoming markets where it once thrived.
http://www.albanydailystar.com/busi...ata-demand-worcester-daily-science-12150.html
