European Police Chiefs have issued a plea for urgent action from both industry and governments to safeguard public safety on social media platforms, citing concerns over the potential ramifications of enhanced privacy measures such as end-to-end (E2E) encryption.
This call comes amid the rollout of such encryption on Meta’s Messenger platform, which, according to law enforcement, poses significant challenges to their ability to access and utilize crucial evidence in investigations related to serious crimes. This includes child sexual abuse, human trafficking, drug smuggling, homicides, economic crime and terrorism.
The joint declaration, supported by Europol and European Police Chiefs, emphasizes the critical role of technology companies in facilitating law enforcement efforts to combat online crime.
“Our homes are becoming more dangerous than our streets as crime is moving online. To keep our society and people safe, we need this digital environment to be secured,” warned Europol’s executive director, Catherine De Bolle.
“Tech companies have a social responsibility to develop a safer environment where law enforcement and justice can do their work. If police lose the ability to collect evidence, our society will not be able to protect people from becoming victims of crime.”
The declaration, formulated during an informal meeting of European Chiefs of Police in London on April 18, underscores the necessity for collaboration between law enforcement and the technology industry.
In particular, it stresses the importance of two key capabilities: the ability of tech companies to provide data to law enforcement under lawful authority; and their proactive identification of illegal activities on their platforms, particularly those related to child exploitation.
However, concerns are raised regarding the potential erosion of these capabilities with the widespread implementation of end-to-end encryption, which could impede law enforcement’s ability to respond effectively to criminal activities on social media platforms.
At the same time, the declaration also emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that prioritizes both cybersecurity and public safety, calling for industry flexibility and government frameworks to address these challenges.
Read more on similar issues: Why the UK Government Must End its Senseless Encryption Demands