Europol and national police forces across Europe are opposing end-to-end encryption.
In a joint statement released on Sunday, they criticise the extensive privacy protection measures that tech companies like Meta are implementing for their messaging services, and fear it may enable criminals to operate freely.
End-to-end encryption prevents these companies from accessing communications between their users. Consequently, police forces cannot obtain evidence via tech companies in investigations of serious criminal acts, such as child abuse, human trafficking, drug trafficking, murder, financial crime, and terrorism.
“We will no longer be able to guarantee public safety,” according to the statement. “Never before have our societies tolerated spaces that are beyond law enforcement, allowing criminals to communicate safely and child abuse to flourish.”
The police forces call for tech companies to retain the possibility to detect and signal illegal activity. For their part they want authorities ensure police can obtain information “to ensure public safety”.
"To ensure the safety of our society and citizens, we must secure this digital environment and detect and signal illegal activity. Tech companies have a social responsibility in developing a safer environment where law enforcement and justice can do their job,” head of Europol, Catherine De Bolle, said.
