Is end to end encryption (E2EE) necessary?

There is one story that has held a peculiar fascination for me. It is written in Genesis 25:19 to 28:9 and is about Jacob’s theft of Esau’s birthright. Every time I read it, I feel creepy. In old age, a blind Isaac requests Esau, his oldest son, to visit him. He explains to him that his life is almost on the edge and asks Esau to gather food from the field and bring it back so he might be able to bless him. He describes literally what needs to be done. The unsuspecting Esau does as he is asked, but Rebekah, Esau’s mother, eavesdrops on the conversation. While Esau is away, she briefs Jacob, Esau’s twin, about Isaac’s requests. Her advice has tragic consequences.

Anytime I read eavesdrops, I think of end to end encryption. What if Isaac encrypted the message to Esau? End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a method of secure communication where only the communicating users can read the messages. In principle, it prevents potential eavesdroppers – including telecom providers, Internet providers, and even the provider of the communication service – from being able to access the cryptographic keys needed to decrypt the conversation.

The necessity of E2EE depends on the use case and what one seeks to achieve. Here are some points to consider:

A.????? Privacy and Confidentiality

B.????? Prevention of Surveillance

C.????? Protection from Data Breaches

D.????? Trust

E.?????? Legal and Regulatory Considerations

This does not only come with challenges but they also need consideration in E2EE. Some of them include:

A.????? Data Recovery: With E2EE, if a user loses their encryption key (or password, in some cases), they could potentially lose access to their data permanently, as even the service provider can't decrypt it. Very worrying.

B.????? Legal and Political Pressure: Some governments have expressed concerns about E2EE, fearing it can be used for illegal activities since law enforcement can't access the content of the communication, even with a warrant (San Bernardino iPhone case). This can lead to political and legal pressures on companies to create "backdoors" or to weaken their encryption.

C.????? Complexity: Implementing E2EE can be more complex than standard encryption methods, potentially introducing new vulnerabilities if not done correctly. You can easily lock yourself out or in the process create a new Zero Day vulnerability.

D.????? Limitations on Features: Yes this too is a challenge. Some advanced features on platforms might not be compatible with E2EE. For example, a cloud email provider offering search features would find it challenging to search through encrypted emails.

In a nutshell, whether E2EE is necessary depends largely on the specific needs, goals, objectives and values of the users and organizations in question. For sundry, the privacy and security benefits of E2EE are paramount. For others, the challenges and trade-offs might make it less of a priority. It's essential to understand the benefits and challenges to make an informed decision.