Facebook owned WhatsApp is one of the platforms in the government's sights.

AUSTRALIA will be leading the discussion on an encrypted technology crack down when ministers meet with Five Eyes nations to talk terror prevention.

Leaders from Australia, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, will meet in the Canadian city of Ottawa where they will discuss tactics to combat terrorism and the spread of extremism.

Attorney-General George Brandis and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton will join their counterparts at the two day meeting. Before leaving on Sunday, Senator Brandis noted the use of cyberspace by terrorists is an issue of critical concern to intelligence and law enforcement agencies around the world.

“Australia will lead the discussion of ways to address this issue; in particular the involvement of industry in thwarting the encryption of terrorist messaging,” Senator Brandis said.

“I will raise the need to address ongoing challenges posed by terrorists and criminals using encryption.

“These discussions will focus on the need to co-operate with service providers to ensure reasonable assistance is provided to law enforcement and security agencies.”

His comments echoed those made by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to the Liberal Party’s 59th Federal Council over the weekend.

“Terrorists and extremists” cannot be allowed to use the internet and major social media and messaging platforms to “spread their poison,” Mr Turnbull said.

Facebook was necessary “for strong political and effective communication, getting around the mainstream media and making sure our message gets direct to our supporters,” he added. But the prime minister also said the internet could not be an ungoverned space.

“We cannot allow terrorists and extremists to use the internet and the big social media messaging platforms ... to spread their poison,” he said.

“When we talk about the rule of law, we have to recognise that there can be no ungoverned spaces,” Mr Turnbull said. “Ungoverned spaces pose great risks. The internet cannot be an ungoverned space.”

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull delivers an address at the 59th Liberal Party Federal Council Meeting in Sydney, Saturday, June 24, 2017. Picture: Dan HimbrechtsSource:AAP

It’s certainly not the first time Senator Brandis has signalled his intention to crack down on encrypted online platforms. He has made clear his desire to give the government greater powers to monitor online communication.

In an interview with Sky News earlier this month he stopped short of saying he wanted to force tech companies to provide a backdoor to their software for governments to access upon request. But Senator Brandis pointed to the UK’s IP (investigatory powers) Act which was introduced by Britain late last year — dubbed “extreme surveillance” by Edward Snowden — as something he would like to emulate.

“They’re (UK) authorities have the power to issue to a device maker, or a social media company, what is called a technicality capability notice which imposes ... a greater obligation to work with authorities” to decrypt information, he said.

Basically, tech companies can be forced to handover information and communication details on suspected terrorists.

“My concern is that the existing (domestic) laws … don’t go far enough in imposing obligations of co-operation upon the corporates,” Senator Brandis said.

“In the first instance the best way to approach this is to solicit the co-op of companies like Apple and Facebook and Google and so on. I think there has been a change of the culture in the last year or more.

“There is a much greater conscious, proactive willingness on the part of the companies to be co-operative. We need the legal sanction as well.”

However experts warn that any method used to allow the government access in certain cirumstances would very likely weaken security for everyone using the service.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has also called on global internet giants to play a greater role in stamping out terrorist propaganda online.

Meanwhile at the talks in Canada, Mr Dutton will also be discussing the government’s proposed citizenship changes with partner countries.

The reforms, to be opposed by Labor, include a tougher English test, values exam and increasing the minimum permanent residency period from one year to four.

The Australian government wants to follow the UK in increasing its surveillance powers and forcing tech companies to comply with information sharing.Source:istock