E2EE means that only the sender and recipient of a direct message can see its content, which is the most secure form of communication available to the general public, reports the BBC.
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and X have accepted it because they claim that their priority is maximum user privacy.
But critics say E2EE makes it harder to stop harmful content, because tech firms and law enforcement agencies have no way to review material sent in direct messages. The situation is further complicated by accusations that Tik Tok’s alleged ties to China could compromise users’ data.
TikTok has consistently denied this, but at the beginning of the year, the company’s US operations were separated from its global operations by order of US lawmakers.
TikTok told the BBC they believe E2EE prevents police and security teams from reading messages when necessary. The company confirmed its stance in a security briefing at its London office, saying it wants to protect users, especially young people.
TikTok, which claims 30 million monthly users in the UK and more than a billion worldwide, has faced criticism over its data protection practices. It is based in Los Angeles and Singapore, but is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance.
– The risks of abuse and harassment in direct messages are very real, so TikTok can now convincingly claim that it prioritizes “proactive security” over “absolute privacy”, which is a pretty strong message – said analyst Matt Navarra.
TikTok insists that all direct messages are still protected by standard encryption, similar to that used by Gmail.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which monitors and removes child sexual abuse material from the Internet, also praised the decision.
(Vijesti.ba / FENA)
