Proactive Investors - Home secretary Suella Braverman and Facebook-owner Meta Platforms Inc have clashed over the latter’s plans to introduce end-to-end encryption to its messaging services.
Though Meta argues the move would ensure privacy for users, Braverman slated the plans over the potential for crimes such as child abuse to be concealed.
“Meta has failed to provide assurances that they will keep their platforms safe from sickening abusers,” Braverman said on Wednesday.
“They must develop appropriate safeguards to sit alongside their plans for end-to-end encryption."
Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta argued encryption, which ensures only the sender and receiver of messages can read them, is already popular in the UK.
“We don't think people want us reading their private messages," Meta said.
“The overwhelming majority of Brits already rely on apps that use encryption to keep them safe from hackers, fraudsters and criminals.”
Meta denied Braverman’s claim that safeguarding had not been ensured, commenting that five years had been spent developing protective measures.
Meta-owned WhatsApp already uses encryption, alongside the likes of Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iMessage service.
Urging Meta to work more closely with the government ahead of the planned rollout of encryption to its Facebook (NASDAQ:META) and Instagram message services this year, Braverman added there could be “no compromise on child safety”.