For years, Facebook has promised to roll out end-to-end encryption for Messenger users to help them better protect their privacy. However, many law enforcement agencies have raised concerns about this, arguing that this blanket protection could also shield child abusers and other criminals. That’s why this week a coalition of 15 law enforcement agencies from around the world released a report blasting Facebook for its encryption plans.

These law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Interpol, and more, argued that implementing encryption will “degrade safety systems and weaken the ability to keep child users safe.” They also said that they haven’t seen proof yet that Facebook will be able to match its current detection rates after encryption begins. The group singled out the case of David Wilson, a man jailed in 2021 for abusing 52 children who was caught because of his activity on Facebook. According to the agencies, he never would’ve been found if encryption existed.

“The successful prosecution of Wilson and the resulting safeguarding of hundreds of children was possible because law enforcement were able to access the evidence contained within over 250,000 messages through Facebook,” the agencies said. “In an [end-to-end encryption] environment, it is highly unlikely this case would have been detected.”

While Facebook is right to offer users better privacy tools, it’s clear that encryption has many roadblocks ahead before it ever becomes a reality.

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