Barr Reportedly Will Ask Facebook to Forgo End-to-End Encryption Plans

Facebook should forgo plans to deploy end-to-end encryption across its messaging services unless it can ensure user safety isn’t compromised and includes lawful police access to content, Attorney General William Barr reportedly plans to write the company with officials from the U.K. and Australia. Barr prepared the draft letter to Facebook with U.K. Secretary of State for the Home Department Priti Patel, Australian Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton and acting U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan. The draft cites Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s March 6 post acknowledging “real safety concerns to address before we can implement end-to-end encryption across all our messaging services.” The government officials noted Zuckerberg said the company has a “responsibility to work with law enforcement and to help prevent” child sexual exploitation, terrorism and extortion. The company and department didn’t comment.