"Many Photos" - Facebook risks hindering child abuse and terrorism investigations by hiding online messages, warns Priti Patel

FACEBOOK has been warned by the new Home Secretary that its plans to hide online messages risks police investigations into child abuse and terrorism.

Priti Patel told the tech giant that increasing users’ privacy by making their chats secret will hinder detectives as they try to track down paedophiles and extremists.

Ms Patel is demanding that Facebook allow access to hidden messages by intelligence agencies

Getty - Pool

The new development – known as end-to-end encryption – will help criminals and put victims at risk, it is feared.

She is demanding that Facebook, along with Twitter and Google, allow access to hidden messages by intelligence agencies.

The Silicon Valley firms were given the stark warning by ministers from the “Five Eyes” intelligence allies – the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – during a two-day meeting in London on emerging threats.

Ms Patel said: “The use of end-to-end encryption in this way has the potential to have serious consequences for the vital work which companies already undertake to identify and remove child abuse and terrorist content.

“It will also hamper our own law enforcement agencies, and those of our allies, in their ability to identify and stop criminals abusing children, trafficking drugs, weapons and people, or terrorists plotting attacks.”

MOST READ IN POLITICS

SNOOPING ALEXA

Amazon 'must face laws to stop Alexa spying on Brits & hoarding their data'

SITTING MP'S PAIN

MP suffers concussion and whiplash after falling off chair at a meeting

'DIAL A DEALER'

Round-the-clock drug dealing is behind the surge in teen killings, MPs warn

FARAGE FURY

Nigel Farage slams vile tweet asking if Brits would pull a trigger on him

ANXIETY AT-TAX

HMRC's attempts to claw back unpaid taxes 'cause anxiety and distrust'

ILLEGALS CONCERN

BoJo urged to bin immigrant amnesty amid fears it'll cost taxpayers £2.5bn

US Attorney General William P. Barr added: “Encryption presents a unique challenge. We must ensure that we do not stand by as advances in technology create spaces where criminal activity of the most heinous kind can go undetected and unpunished.”

The interior and security ministers of the five leading western nations said in a statement that online child abuse material had increased twenty-fold in the past four years, to 18million images found last year.

Facebook says only the sender and recipient of encrypted messages can read them and the company itself cannot access them, reducing the risk of hacking.

Corbis - Getty

The Silicon Valley firms were given the stark warning by ministers from the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence allies during a two-day meeting in London[/caption]

---

• GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk

---

Link
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/facebook-risks-hindering-child-abuse-and-terrorism-investigations-by-hiding-online-messages-warns-priti-patel/
News Photo Facebook risks hindering child abuse and terrorism investigations by hiding online messages, warns Priti Patel
Advertising
You don’t have to pack away your dress just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!

Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/NINTCHDBPICT000508790907-2-e1564529924575.jpg?strip=all&w=960