'If a country like the UK pushed for that on the internet, that would shape what other countries all around the world ask for on different topics on different issues,' Cathcart said, reports Politico.Ĭlient-side scanning (CSS), a technology that can intercept and filter messages before being sent, was seen as an alternative to weakening end-to-end encryption. This also precedes state-mandated surveillance on a mass scale, with privacy and security risks affecting entire societies. This means breaking E2EE.Īnd breaking E2EE in order to scan for terrorism and child sexual abuse images, also means breaking encryption for the crooks too, as it will likely introduce backdoors that create vulnerabilities for attackers and hostile states to exploit. So, the only way they can comply with the Bill is to make private messages scannable.

It doesn't say how such scans could be done, yet companies are liable for the content shared on their platforms.Īt the moment, organizations cannot scan end-to-end encrypted messages. The Bill includes a provision requiring companies to use 'accredited technology' to scan messages for anti-terrorism and child protection purposes. They do not want us to lower the security of the product, and just as a straightforward matter, it would be an odd choice for us to choose to lower the security of the product in a way that would affect those 98% of users.' 'Ninety-eight per cent of our users are outside the UK. 'The reality is, our users all around the world want security,' said Cathcart, The Guardian reported. He reportedly met with legislators to discuss the Bill, which Cathcart described as the most concerning online regulation in the Western world.

Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp at parent company Meta, made these claims in a briefing with the UK press on Thursday, March 9. In fact, WhatsApp would rather cease serving UK users, which make up 2% of its global market, than weaken its end-to-end encryption (E2EE). WhatsApp will not comply with the UK's Online Safety Bill when it passes legislation as is.

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