As Meta is proceeding to add end-to-end encryption to Messenger and Instagram Direct chats, UK’s high-level ministers warn the company to aid their needs too.
While supporting the company’s move of encrypting chats, the UK ministers asked Meta to let their police track for potential online abuse against the nation’s children and ensure a framework to avoid such things from happening.
Encrypt, But Comply to Snoop
As Meta is often strangled with privacy-related issues, the company is adding new features to keep users’ communications as secure as possible. One among them is end-to-end encryption of chats on WhatsApp, which lets no one snoop on conversations except the sender and receiver.
Since it’s deemed essential, Meta is extending this ability to Messenger and Instagram Direct chats this week. While it’s a good move, UK ministers are warning the company not to break their ability to protect children, potentially by snooping on their chats for possible abuse.
Suella Braverman, Britain’s home secretary and Tom Tugendhat, Britain’s security minister, have asked Meta to “work with us” and ensure police can access data. Further, Braverman said:
“The use of strong encryption for online users remains a vital part of our digital world, and I support it, so does the government, but it cannot come at a cost to our children’s safety.”
They cry that Meta has failed to assure their children are safe from online abusers but proceed to implement end-to-end encryption. Asking Meta to develop robust safeguards while encrypting the chats, UK’s National Crime Agency’s director of general threats, James Babbage, warned the Meta’s encrypting plans could “massively reduce our collective ability” to protect children.
Responding to these calls, Meta said, “the overwhelming majority of Brits already rely on apps that use encryption to keep them safe from hackers, fraudsters and criminals“, and assured that they’ll be publishing updated safeguarding measures – which includes blocking people aged over 19 from messaging teenagers who don’t follow them on their platforms.
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