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US Government Seeks Facebook Help To Wiretap Messenger, Report Says (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the tussle-continues dept.

The U.S. government is trying to force Facebook to break the encryption in its popular Messenger app so law enforcement may listen to a suspect's voice conversations in a criminal probe, Reuters reported Friday, citing three people briefed on the case said, resurrecting the issue of whether companies can be compelled to alter their products to enable surveillance. From the report: The previously unreported case in a federal court in California is proceeding under seal, so no filings are publicly available, but the three people told Reuters that Facebook is contesting the U.S. Department of Justice's demand. The judge in the Messenger case heard arguments on Tuesday on a government motion to hold Facebook in contempt of court for refusing to carry out the surveillance request, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

5 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. I actually don't have a problem with this by eclectro · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Facebook is a platform that can not be trusted. Everybody needs to know that.

    --
    Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
    1. Re:I actually don't have a problem with this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's how freedoms are eroded. This would set a precedent that could then be applied to non-evil companies. You think the secret courts don't already have a back door? They're trying to get it in the front now.

    2. Re:I actually don't have a problem with this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Even the most trusted app "Signal" has this same problem.

      Most people apply updates without a second thought. Most people can't understand a changelog let alone a source code diff, so developers just put "Bug fixes".

      Any app can be updated to be not safe, even if it operates safely in 100% encrypted mode today.

  2. Also lazy by ancientt · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The courts have the authority to compel people to testify and the authority to come into a place of business and gather evidence. I don't think it would be much of a stretch to force a company to allow government employees to alter code. That could happen and it should be something that is argued strenuously in the courts.

    This kind of compulsion goes far beyond any reasonable argument. It's one thing to say the government can gather evidence or even take action in a private company. It's a whole different thing to try to compel a private citizen, or company who employs private citizens, to write software that goes against their best interest. It's really just tyranny, and lazy tyranny at that.

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    B) Eliminate all the stupid users. This is frowned upon by society.
  3. In contempt by Archfeld · · Score: 2

    So the court is going to hold Facebook in contempt, just like the rest of us. The court is also going to throw 'Facebook' in jail ? Which peon is going to take the fall for the corp ? Can't Facebook just claim the its' 4th amendment right are being violated, or go with the ever popular 5th amendment protection because it might be considered a member of a conspiracy after the fact ?

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    errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?