British Interior Minister Suella Braverman has extended an olive branch to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, expressing her desire for constructive collaboration regarding the contentious issue of end-to-end encryption on Instagram and Facebook Messenger and its potential risks to children.
The UK government has been vocal in urging Meta not to implement encryption on these two popular platforms without incorporating safety measures aimed at protecting children from potential harm, particularly related to sexual abuse.
Braverman emphasized her call to Meta during an interview with the BBC, stating, “My call to Meta is to work with us more constructively to roll out end-to-end encryption with robust safety measures because what they’re proposing at the moment will make Facebook and Instagram Direct (messages) safe havens for pedophiles.”
Meta, whose WhatsApp messaging platform already utilizes end-to-end encryption, has argued that encryption is instrumental in safeguarding users against hackers, fraudsters, and criminal activities. The company is set to provide an update on Wednesday concerning the steps it is taking to address the government’s concerns. This includes measures such as limiting communication between individuals over 19 and teenagers who do not follow them, as well as utilizing technology to detect and combat malicious behavior.
Braverman expressed optimism that a resolution can be reached without resorting to financial penalties imposed on Meta under new legislation. She stated, “We want to encourage them to adopt the technological solution. We believe the solution exists, whereby user privacy can be protected and child safety can be safeguarded, she said during an interview on Times Radio.
The UK government has been pressing Meta to furnish evidence of its plans for safeguarding children, but such evidence has not yet been provided. Nevertheless, officials continue to engage with the company in hopes of finding common ground.
The recently passed Online Safety Bill in the UK Parliament will impose stricter requirements on social media platforms to protect children from accessing harmful content. End-to-end encryption has emerged as a contentious point of contention between technology companies and the government in this new legislation.
Braverman acknowledged the possibility of legal intervention, stating, “If necessary, we will have to use our powers in law. We don’t want to get to that point.” While both sides are in pursuit of an amicable solution, the issue of encryption and child safety remains a central focus in the ongoing debate between technology companies and regulatory authorities.