Facebook’s encryption plans risk making it a one stop grooming shop, NSPCC Cymru/Wales warns

• More than half of all recorded online sex crimes in Wales involved either Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp. With more than one online platform  having been recorded as being used in a single offence.
• Tech giant plans to roll out end-to-end encryption in its platforms, making child sexual abuse harder to detect
• NSPCC urges the tech giant to guarantee child safety won’t be compromised and demands next Government impose tough regulation on big tech

Hundreds of online child sex crimes recorded in Wales could go undetected if Facebook introduces end-to-end encryption in its apps, NSPCC research suggests.

In 2018/19, there were more than 200 recorded online child sex crimes in Wales, in which more than half either Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp were used.

The NSPCC has revealed the figures following a Freedom of Information requests obtained by the NSPCC from 32 forces across England and Wales.

In Wales, three of its four police forces returned the request, revealing a total of 221 recorded child abuse image and online child sexual offences.

The NSPCC warns crimes will go undetected if the tech giant continues with its plans to encrypt messaging on Facebook and Instagram without first putting clear safeguards in place.

Across England and Wales police recorded over 4,000 instances where Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp were used in child abuse image and online child sexual offences last year – an average of 11 times a day.

Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plans mean it would no longer be able to see and report illegal content to law enforcement, and police will be left working in the dark to detect child abuse crimes.

The charity also believes more serious child abuse will take place on Facebook owned apps as abusers won’t have to move their victims off the platform to other encrypted ones to groom and exploit them.

The data obtained by the NSPCC found that, of the total number of incidents where the method was recorded, 22% were on Instagram and 19% on Facebook or Facebook Messenger.

Only a small percentage (3%) were recorded on WhatsApp which is already encrypted, highlighting how much more difficult it becomes to detect crimes.

The true scale of the problem on Facebook’s platforms could be much higher as some forces could not provide information on the method of communication for some offences.

It comes as the NSPCC is calling for supporters to sign an open letter to Facebook demanding they put children first as part of its Wild West Web campaign.

Head of NSPCC Cymru/Wales, Des Mannion, said: “Instead of working to protect children and make the online world they live in safer, Facebook is actively choosing to give offenders a place to hide in the shadows and risks making itself a one stop grooming shop.

“For far too long Facebook’s mantra has been to move fast without thinking of the consequences, but these figures provide a clear snapshot of the thousands of child sex crimes that could go undetected if they push ahead with their plans unchecked.

“If Facebook fails to guarantee encryption won’t be detrimental to children’s safety, the next Government must make clear they will face tough consequences from day one for breaching their Duty of Care.”

The NSPCC is calling for:

• No end-to-end encryption for messages going to or coming from children’s accounts on Facebook apps
• Adults accounts not to be encrypted until and unless Facebook has solutions to ensure child abuse can be detected and that children safety won’t be compromised
• The next Government to push ahead with introducing an independent Duty of Care regulator to keep children safe online
• The next Government to warn Facebook that encryption breaches the incoming Duty of Care and pressing ahead will mean tough consequences