Unencrypted chat history is a prime target for police

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/1874605

A 17-year-old from Nebraska and her mother are facing criminal charges including performing an illegal abortion and concealing a dead body after police obtained the pair’s private chat history from Facebook, court documents published by Motherboard show.

  • @2MnyDcksOnThDncFlr@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4•1 year ago

    I totally agree with your sentiment… However they don’t have a choice. They are legally obligated to turn that information over if they are served a warrant. Doing anything less is obstruction at the very least and they could be shut down and put into receivership.

    The fault here is with the two individuals trusting a corporation to keep data private and to put the individuals interests ahead of the corporation. Neither is a realistic expectation.

    • @triplenadir@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
      6•1 year ago

      they could have made their shitty DM system end-to-end encrypt messages by default, instead of burying that feature[0] in chat settings

      or, they could have used their MASSIVE wealth and lobbying power to directly fight the warrant in court (if there even was one, they have a long history of just requiring a form ostensibly signed by any cop to turn over private data)

      or they could have just lied and said they couldn’t find the data

      I don’t disagree that people shouldn’t trust Facebook but saying “they don’t have a choice” is absurd

      [0] https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/786613221989782

    • @Baylahoo@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0•1 year ago

      You’re exactly right. They are legally required to turn it over when compelled. Let’s keep that mess away from the federation. It will only get worse.