Between 2018-2019, Facebook, Instagram, and Snap chat were mentioned as the most commonly visited apps where child abuse took place. It was later reported that public hearings between January 2018 and May 2019 were carried on and UK was declared as the world’s 3rd biggest client of live-streamed child sex abuse. The report noticed an app called Microsoft’s PhotoDNA which could inspect pictures against databases of a familiar illegal imagery without sighting them. Also on March 2017, Facebook was at fault because it failed to dismiss 80% of intimate children photos.
Recently, the EU commission put forth new rules and removed some of Facebook’s notable features, including that of grooming detection tools used widely in Europe. Although this change has not been implemented in the United Kingdom, it is assumed that the problem has raised questions, especially by child protection advocates and services, which automatically forbids systems to scan for violent child abuse images and other illicit content.
The European Union informs what the problem was
In October 2020, the Council of the European Union had informed about the issue that it was illegal to scan private messages by then, but the union still raised its voice for detecting child abuse associated content. Recently, the impact on child protection tools is now available.
Last week it was reported that with proper implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code, restrictions will be applied on a few features of webmail, and messaging services. The Privacy Directive does not have a legal license to continue the current practices. Also to continue such action, immediate legislative measure must be brought into effect by December 21 2020.
To stop the spread of child abuse, perpetrators must not be protected by any source of privileged communication. Due to this the Directives have brought into a temporary and strictly bounded derogation, with the obligations of the e-privacy Directive especially for reporting and detecting online child abuse. They will furthermore try to remove such illicit content from Facebook messaging services.
It was said by the social network that there is no possible approximation of people or messages affected. EU has introduced safety measures that do not permit adults texting strangers and also, any kind of inappropriate messages sent by children or adults can still be reported for investigation. WhatsApp a Facebook owned App, is not affected and cannot be scanned since it is end to end encrypted.
The new EU rules have an improved version of long-standing security protocols that include more forms of messaging like email and online chat. This unintentionally banned updated tools that were designed to detect the newly created vicious and exploitative photos, which were not yet systematically recorded by the investigators. Suspicious online conversations between abusers and victims were also forbidden.
I’m Ava Paul, an experienced news website author with a special focus on the entertainment section. Over the past five years, I have worked in various positions of media and communication at World Stock Market. My experience has given me extensive knowledge in writing, editing, researching and reporting on stories related to the entertainment industry.
