Facebook's New Privacy Feature Faces Backlash Over Potential Abuse Risks

Meta Platforms Inc META recently began implementing encryption for Facebook direct messages, a move that has been controversial within the company. 

This encryption, also planned for Instagram, was announced in 2019 as part of a push for enhanced user privacy. 

However, Meta employees, including David Erb, an engineering director in 2018, have raised concerns that such encryption could hinder the detection and reporting of child sexual abuse on the platform, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

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Erb, who led a team focusing on harmful user behavior, found that Facebook's "People You May Know" algorithm was a significant avenue for adults preying on minors. 

Despite his warnings and resignation threat over encryption, Erb was eventually removed from his role and resigned.

Meta, under CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has emphasized privacy as a fundamental human right, but the move to encryption has been criticized for potentially aiding abuse. 

The company claims to have developed robust safety measures and worked with law enforcement to prevent misuse. 

Unlike other social media platforms that don't offer encryption or have restricted messaging features for minors, Facebook and Instagram's expansive search and recommendation functions potentially expose users, including children, to unknown contacts.

In response to these risks, Meta has implemented safety measures for underage users and developed tools like Macsa to flag suspicious accounts. 

However, these tools have limitations, and there are concerns that encryption will impede investigations into child exploitation and other serious offenses. 

Law enforcement and child safety advocates worry that encryption will make combating child predators more difficult, while privacy advocates argue that encryption is crucial for protecting users' communications.

Price Action: META shares are trading higher by 0.20% at $354.82 on the last check Friday.

Also Read: Meta Prepares To Let 10K Employees Go, Flatten Organizational Structure, Cut Back On Non-Priority Projects

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo by Darwin Laganzon via Pixabay