Meta executive warned Facebook Messenger encryption plan was ‘so irresponsible’, shows court filing

Meta executives proceeded with a plan to encrypt the messaging services connected to ​its Facebook and Instagram apps despite internal warnings that it would hinder the social media giant’s ability to flag child-exploitation cases to law enforcement, according ​to internal company documents filed in a New Mexico state court case.

“We are about to do a bad thing as a company. This is so irresponsible,” wrote Monika Bickert, Meta’s head of content policy, in one internal chat exchange dated March 2019 as CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s public announcement of the plan was being prepared.