US pushes Facebook for way to peek at encrypted messages

US officials are calling on Facebook not to use snoop-proof encryption in all its messaging services without providing authorities a way to see what is being sent.

The request was laid out in a letter signed by US Attorney General William Barr, along with British home secretary Priti Patel and Australian minister for home affairs Peter Dutton.

“We are writing to request that Facebook does not proceed with its plan to implement end-to-end encryption across its messaging services without ensuring that there is no reduction to user safety and without including a means for lawful access to the content of communications to protect our citizens,” read a copy of the letter obtained by AFP and dated October 4.