What are the drawbacks of placing the encryption function at the application layer?

Placing the encryption function at the application layer can lead to several drawbacks, including increased complexity in application development, as developers must integrate and maintain encryption protocols within the application code. This approach may also result in inconsistent encryption practices across different applications, increasing vulnerability to security breaches. Additionally, application-layer encryption can introduce performance overhead, potentially affecting the overall efficiency and responsiveness of the application, especially if not properly optimized. Finally, it may complicate data management and compliance, particularly when handling sensitive information across multiple platforms or services.