MP claims Facebook risks becoming a ‘safe haven for paedophiles’

Facebook risks becoming a “safe haven for paedophiles” by allowing encrypted sharing of images, an MP has claimed.

Labour MP Gregor Poynton’s concerns were echoed by Home Office minister Jess Phillips as she urged Meta – which owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram – to continue being an “industry leader” in preventing and detecting child sex abuse online.

No-one outside a conversation is able to see or access encrypted messages, including the service provider itself.

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Meta earlier this year argued that encryption helps “keep people, including children, safe from hackers, scammers and criminals”, adding the company has “spent years developing robust safety measures to prevent, detect and combat child abuse while maintaining online security”.

Speaking at Home Office questions, Mr Poynton (Livingston) told the House of Commons: “The fight against child sex abuse online is only as strong as its weakest link and Facebook’s decision to allow the encrypted sharing of images makes them a very weak link indeed.

“Does the minister share my concern, in fact my anger, that Facebook appear to be turning a blind eye while their platform becomes a safe haven for paedophiles?”

Ms Phillips replied: “(Mr Poynton) raises an extremely serious issue and I can assure him that we very much share his concerns.

“The Home Secretary has met with representatives from Meta and our officials are in regular contact.

“And what we say in all these discussions is very simple.

“For years Meta has been an industry leader when it comes to preventing and detecting child sex abuse online and what we all want to see is them continuing to play that positive role and not, as (Mr Poynton) fears, going in the opposite direction.”

Meta has been approached for comment.