On Monday, December 16, 2019, Facebook firmly rejected the “backdoor” request proposed by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Australia, with an aim to help law enforcement agencies tackle crime and terrorism.
Additionally, WhatsApp Head Will Cathcart and Facebook Messenger Head Stan Chudnovsky wrote in a letter to U.S. Atty. Gen. William Barr, Acting U.S. Homeland Security Sec. Chad Wolf, UK Home Office Sec. Priti Patel, and Australian Minister of Home Affairs Peter Dutton, “Cybersecurity experts have repeatedly proven that when you weaken any part of an encrypted system, you weaken it for everyone, everywhere.”
Facebook executives also mentioned that giving backdoor access would work in favor of criminals, hackers, and repressive regimes that will pave the way for these threat actors to enter their system and affect every user on their platform making them more susceptible to real-life harm.
Additionally, the social media giant states, “It is simply impossible to create such a backdoor for one purpose and not expect others to try and open it.” It added, “People’s private messages would be less secure, and the real winners would be anyone seeking to take advantage of that weakened security. That is not something we are prepared to do.”
This brave step by Facebook of standing committed toward not hampering and weakening the encryption of its messenger app will polish its public image.