Tech giants to be forced to reveal encrypted data in Australia

The Australian government has unveiled new laws that would compel technology companies to disclose encrypted data relating to criminal activity, reports Xinhua.

Under the new laws, announced by Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Minister Angus Taylor on Tuesday, companies that refuse to cooperate with law enforcement agencies could face financial sanctions.

Taylor said the new laws were a much-needed update to current legislation which was drafted before smartphones became commonplace.

"We know that more than 90 percent of data lawfully intercepted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) now use some form of encryption," he said in a statement.

Taylor said this had directly impacted around 200 serious criminal and terrorism-related investigations in the last 12 months alone.

"We must ensure our laws reflect the rapid take-up of secure online communications by those who seek to do us harm," he said.