MP Paul Waugh accuses Meta of turning Fb Messenger into ‘Epstein’s paedophile island’

An MP has accused Meta of turning Fb Messenger into “Jeffrey Epstein’s non-public island” by enabling end-to-end encryption. 

The Science, Innovation and Know-how Committee grilled tech giants X, TikTok, Google and Meta right now as a part of an inquiry into on-line misinformation and dangerous algorithms.

“Twenty years in the past, somebody like Gary Glitter needed to go to the opposite facet of the world to prey on youngsters,” mentioned Labour MP Paul Waugh to Chris Yiu, one in every of Meta’s administrators of public coverage.

“Somebody like Jeffrey Epstein needed to create his personal non-public paedophile island.

Mr Waugh was referring to Fb Messenger’s current implementation of end-to-end encryption, which means that nobody, not even Fb, can see the contents of encrypted messages.

Regulation enforcement businesses additionally can not see the messages, which is a continuing supply of rigidity between tech corporations and governments.

Simply final week, Apple eliminated one in every of its highest-security instruments for customers over an alleged request by the Residence Workplace to have the ability to see its encrypted consumer knowledge.

“Is not it true that you have turned Fb Messenger into Epstein’s personal paedophile island and a spot the place you are able to do what you need with out getting caught?” requested Mr Waugh.

Mr Yiu denied this was the case and mentioned the difficulty of on-line little one sexual abuse materials wanted a “complete of society response” the place tech corporations and legislation enforcement businesses labored cooperatively.

He additionally argued end-to-end encryption is a “basic expertise designed to maintain folks secure and shield their privateness”.

The choose committee’s inquiry is investigating the unfold of dangerous content material on-line, sparked by final August’s riots.

The widespread unrest took maintain throughout the nation after three younger women had been stabbed to demise in Southport.

Within the days that adopted, unlawful content material and disinformation unfold “broadly and rapidly” on-line, in keeping with the communications regulator Ofcom.

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The committee chair Chi Onwurah mentioned Elon Musk, proprietor of X, was invited to the proof session however the billionaire didn’t reply formally.

MP Emily Darlington additionally quizzed the Meta consultant concerning the firm’s current modifications to its content material tips.

She learn out quite a few examples of Meta customers posting racist, antisemitic and transphobic feedback on-line and requested Mr Yiu how Meta justified permitting these posts to remain on-line.

“We have now acquired suggestions that […] some areas of debates had been being suppressed an excessive amount of on our platform and that some conversations, while difficult, ought to have an area to be mentioned,” he mentioned.

X’s consultant additionally confronted questions from the MPs, with Ms Darlington asking why verified X customers had been in a position to publish feedback calling politicians rapists and threatening to “stand up and shoot” public figures.

Wifredo Fernandez, X’s senior director for Authorities Affairs, mentioned he would ask the X workforce to overview the posts.