The leader of Meta’s messaging application asserts that they will not comply with the requirements specified in the online safety bill
While visiting the UK to engage with lawmakers and deliberate on government internet regulation, Will Cathcart, the leader of WhatsApp at Meta, expressed concern about the online safety bill, which seeks to ban end-to-end encryption. Cathcart affirmed that WhatsApp would not adhere to any stipulations in the bill, prompting uncertainties about the platform’s future in the UK.
As WhatsApp is incapable of accessing messages sent on its platform, it cannot comply with law enforcement requests to grant access to messages or monitor communications for purposes such as child protection or counterterrorism efforts. While the UK government already has the authority to demand encryption removal under the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act, WhatsApp has never received such a request. Will Cathcart highlighted that the online safety bill raises concerns about an expansion of that authority due to the ambiguity in the legislation.
If the online safety bill is enacted, it would empower the government or Ofcom to require WhatsApp to implement content moderation policies that could only be achieved by eliminating end-to-end encryption. If WhatsApp refuses to comply with these mandates, it could face fines of up to 4% of Meta’s annual revenue or opt to withdraw from the UK market altogether.
Will Cathcart highlighted that other regions have similar legislation, such as the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which explicitly safeguards end-to-end encryption for messaging services. He advocated for comparable language to be incorporated into the UK bill before its approval. Cathcart proposed that the wording should emphasize the significance of privacy and security within the framework and explicitly state that end-to-end encryption should not be dismantled. Additionally, he recommended the implementation of more procedural safeguards to prevent unilateral decisions on such matters.
While WhatsApp is primarily known as a messaging app, it also offers social networking-style features through its “communities” feature. This feature allows over a thousand users to engage in group chats resembling services like Slack and Discord, and these are also end-to-end encrypted. However, Cathcart suggested that the risk of a significant community causing issues is low. He explained that in a group of that size, it is easy for an individual to report any misconduct, and if there is a severe problem, investigators can gain access to it effortlessly.
While WhatsApp officially requires UK users to be at least 16 years old, Will Cathcart refrained from advising parents on deleting their children’s accounts on the platform. Instead, he emphasized the importance of parents making informed decisions.
The online safety bill is expected to be reintroduced to parliament later this summer. If approved, Ofcom, as the internet regulator, will acquire significant new authority and the ability to enforce effective content moderation through substantial fines.