Open Letter: Make DMs Safe

Hello, 

Fight for the Future is a digital rights organization with more than 3 million members nationwide. We’re writing to urge you to implement default end-to-end encryption across all of Meta’s direct-messaging tools and chat back-ups, including for Instagram and Facebook Messenger. 

We were shaken by recent reports revealing that Facebook handed over a Nebraska teenager’s abortion-related DMs to law enforcement. We know this is likely the first of many cases to come.

For years, law enforcement has monitored marginalized groups—including BIPOC, immigrants, social justice activists, and sex workers—through their online communications and through other forms of surveillance. Security experts and human rights organizations have sounded the alarm about this abuse and point to default end-to-end encrypted messaging as a first and best step companies can take to protect targeted communities. Those experts and groups include: 

• The former director of the NSA, along with the former homeland security secretary and a former deputy defense secretary
• A former director of GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence and security agency
• The head of the Information Commissioner’s Office, a body that oversees the protection of people’s data in the UK
• BSR, the business network and consultancy commissioned by Meta to assess the human rights implications of end-to-end encrypted messaging 
• Amnesty International
• Human Rights Watch

Meta’s failure to implement this privacy feature by default has already left many too many people vulnerable. With the reversal of Roe putting millions more people in direct danger of criminalization and attacks from law enforcement and anti-abortion vigilantes, the urgency of securing people’s DMs cannot be overstated. End-to-end encryption is crucial for protecting people from anti-human rights attacks on their bodily autonomy and personhood.

It’s clear Meta has been moving in the right direction on this issue, but running limited tests and putting out vague timelines is simply not enough at this critical moment. 

We’re calling on Meta to announce a firm date for the implementation of default end-to-end encryption for all messaging and message storage, and that the implementation date be no later than December 31, 2022. 

Fight for the Future has launched an open letter to organize support for default end-to-end encryption for all direct messaging as the single most important action you can take right now to protect vulnerable people and proactively create a culture of privacy and security among your user base. Through the letter and its endorsers, we hope to demonstrate the enormous amount of support for default end-to-end encryption across fields and communities, from everyday people to human rights activists, artists, security experts, companies, and influencers. 

The campaign page also contains summaries of publicly available information on major tech companies’ end-to-end plans and policies. We look forward to posting an update in Meta’s section once you clarify your implementation timeline.

We welcome the opportunity to set up a meeting to discuss the issue further.

Hello, 

Fight for the Future is a digital rights organization with more than 3 million members nationwide, and we’re writing to urge Twitter to implement default end-to-end encryption for direct messaging and message archives immediately. 

We were shaken by recent reports revealing that Facebook handed over a Nebraska teenager’s abortion-related DMs to law enforcement. We know this is likely the first of many cases to come.

For years, law enforcement has monitored marginalized groups—including BIPOC, immigrants, social justice activists, and sex workers—through their online communications and through other forms of surveillance. Security experts and human rights organizations have sounded the alarm about this abuse and point to default end-to-end encrypted messaging as a first and best step companies can take to protect targeted communities. Those experts and groups include: 

• The former director of the NSA, along with the former homeland security secretary and a former deputy defense secretary
• A former director of GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence and security agency
• The head of the Information Commissioner’s Office, a body that oversees the protection of people’s data in the UK
• BSR, the business network and consultancy commissioned by Meta to assess the human rights implications of end-to-end encrypted messaging 
• Amnesty International
• Human Rights Watch

Twitter’s failure to implement this privacy feature by default has already left many too many people vulnerable. With the reversal of Roe putting millions more people in direct danger of criminalization and attacks from law enforcement and anti-abortion vigilantes, the urgency of securing people’s DMs cannot be overstated. End-to-end encryption is crucial for protecting people from anti-human rights attacks on their bodily autonomy and personhood.

We know Twitter has been discussing default end-to-end encrypted messaging for some time, but the company has not yet publicized any plans for implementation. That’s simply unacceptable in this critical moment. 

We’re calling on Twitter to announce a firm date for the implementation of default end-to-end encryption for all messaging and message archives, and that the implementation date be no later than December 31, 2022. 

Fight for the Future has launched an open letter to organize support for default end-to-end encryption for all direct messaging as the single most important action you can take right now to protect vulnerable people and proactively create a culture of privacy and security among your user base. Through the letter and its endorsers, we hope to demonstrate the enormous amount of support for default end-to-end encryption across fields and communities, from everyday people to human rights activists, artists, security experts, companies, and influencers. 

The campaign page also contains summaries of publicly available information on major tech companies’ end-to-end plans and policies. We look forward to posting an update in Twitter’s section once you clarify your implementation timeline.

We welcome the opportunity to set up a meeting to discuss the issue further.

Hello, 

Fight for the Future is a digital rights organization with more than 3 million members nationwide. We are writing to urge Apple to adopt RCS and implement default end-to-end encryption for all messages between iPhones and other devices, and to immediately implement default end-to-end encryption for iCloud storage. 

We’re shaken by the recent reports revealing that Facebook handed over a Nebraska teenager’s abortion-related DMs to law enforcement. We know it’s likely the first of many cases to come.

For years, law enforcement has monitored marginalized groups—including BIPOC, immigrants, social justice activists, and sex workers—through their online communications and through other forms of surveillance. Security experts and human rights organizations have sounded the alarm about this abuse and point to default end-to-end encrypted messaging as a first and best step companies can take to protect targeted communities. Those experts and groups include: 

• The former director of the NSA, along with the former homeland security secretary and a former deputy defense secretary
• A former director of GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence and security agency
• The head of the Information Commissioner’s Office, a body that oversees the protection of people’s data in the UK
• BSR, the business network and consultancy commissioned by Meta to assess the human rights implications of end-to-end encrypted messaging 
• Amnesty International
• Human Rights Watch

Apple’s failure to implement default end-to-end encryption for all direct messaging and message storage has already left many too many people vulnerable. With the reversal of Roe putting millions more people in direct danger of criminalization and attacks from law enforcement and anti-abortion vigilantes, the urgency of securing people’s DMs cannot be overstated. End-to-end encryption is crucial for protecting people from anti-human rights attacks on their bodily autonomy and personhood.

It’s clear Apple has been moving in the right direction on this issue by implementing default end-to-end encryption for iMessage texts sent between Apple devices. But because iCloud is not default end-to-end encrypted, and most people’s iMessages are backed up automatically in iCloud, this protection is totally undermined: Apple and other third parties can access the messages once they’re in storage. Additionally, because Apple has not adopted RCS, texts between Apple devices and non-Apple devices are not secured by end-to-end encryption at all. Around 50% of smartphone owners in the US don’t use Apple devices, and over 70% don’t use Apple devices globally, meaning millions of people’s messages are currently unprotected. As a privacy-focused company, your solution simply cannot be “buy more iPhones” - you must do better.

We’re calling on Apple to announce a firm date for the adoption of RCS and the implementation of default end-to-end encryption for iCloud, and that the adoption and implementation date be no later than December 31, 2022. 

Fight for the Future has launched an open letter to organize support for default end-to-end encryption for all direct messaging as the single most important action you can take right now to protect vulnerable people and proactively create a culture of privacy and security among your user base. Through the letter and its endorsers, we hope to demonstrate the enormous amount of support for default end-to-end encryption across fields and communities, from everyday people to human rights activists, artists, security experts, companies, and influencers. 

The campaign page also contains summaries of publicly available information on major tech companies’ end-to-end plans and policies. We look forward to posting an update in Apple’s section once you clarify your implementation timeline.

We welcome the opportunity to set up a meeting to discuss the issue further.

Hello, 

Fight for the Future is a digital rights organization with more than 3 million members nationwide. We are writing to urge Slack to implement default end-to-end encryption for all messages and message back-ups immediately. 

We were shaken by recent reports revealing that Facebook handed over a Nebraska teenager’s abortion-related DMs to law enforcement. We know this is likely the first of many cases to come.

For years, law enforcement has monitored marginalized groups—including BIPOC, immigrants, social justice activists, and sex workers—through their online communications and through other forms of surveillance. Security experts and human rights organizations have sounded the alarm about this abuse and point to default end-to-end encrypted messaging as a first and best step companies can take to protect targeted communities. Those experts and groups include: 

• The former director of the NSA, along with the former homeland security secretary and a former deputy defense secretary
• A former director of GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence and security agency
• The head of the Information Commissioner’s Office, a body that oversees the protection of people’s data in the UK
• BSR, the business network and consultancy commissioned by Meta to assess the human rights implications of end-to-end encrypted messaging 
• Amnesty International
• Human Rights Watch

Slack’s failure to implement this privacy feature by default has already left many too many people vulnerable. With the reversal of Roe putting millions more people in direct danger of criminalization and attacks from law enforcement and anti-abortion vigilantes, the urgency of securing people’s DMs cannot be overstated. End-to-end encryption is crucial for protecting people from anti-human rights attacks on their bodily autonomy and personhood.

Despite critiques from journalists and privacy experts, Slack has not publicized any plans to implement default end-to-end encryption. Instead you’re choosing to prioritize profit over users’ privacy and safety. 

We’re calling on Slack to announce a firm date for the implementation of default end-to-end encryption for all messages and message storage, and that the implementation date be no later than December 31, 2022. 

Fight for the Future has launched an open letter to organize support for default end-to-end encryption for all direct messaging as the single most important action you can take right now to protect vulnerable people and proactively create a culture of privacy and security among your user base. Through the letter and its endorsers, we hope to demonstrate the enormous amount of support for default end-to-end encryption across fields and communities, from everyday people to human rights activists, artists, security experts, companies, and influencers. 

The campaign page also contains summaries of publicly available information on major tech companies’ end-to-end plans and policies. We look forward to posting an update in Slack’s section once you clarify your implementation timeline.

We welcome the opportunity to set up a meeting to discuss the issue further.

Hello, 

Fight for the Future is a digital rights organization with more than 3 million members nationwide, and we’re writing to urge Google to implement default end-to-end encryption for Google Chat and all chat message back-ups immediately.

For years, law enforcement has monitored marginalized groups—including BIPOC, immigrants, social justice activists, and sex workers—through their online communications and through other forms of surveillance. Security experts and human rights organizations have sounded the alarm about this abuse and point to default end-to-end encrypted messaging as a first and best step companies can take to protect targeted communities. Those experts and groups include: 

• The former director of the NSA, along with the former homeland security secretary and a former deputy defense secretary
• A former director of GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence and security agency
• The head of the Information Commissioner’s Office, a body that oversees the protection of people’s data in the UK
• BSR, the business network and consultancy commissioned by Meta to assess the human rights implications of end-to-end encrypted messaging 
• Amnesty International
• Human Rights Watch

Google’s failure to implement this privacy feature as the default for all of its messaging tools has already left many too many people vulnerable. With the reversal of Roe putting millions more people in direct danger of criminalization and attacks from law enforcement and anti-abortion vigilantes, the urgency of securing people’s DMs cannot be overstated. End-to-end encryption is crucial for protecting people from anti-human rights attacks on their bodily autonomy and personhood.

It’s clear Google has been moving in the right direction on this issue by implementing default end-to-end encryption for one-on-one Google Messages and by announcing group messages will also be protected by end-to-end encryption by the end of 2022. But Google hasn’t yet communicated plans to add default end-to-end encryption to its other primary direct messaging tool – Google Chat.

We’re calling on Google to announce a firm date for the implementation of default end-to-end encryption for Google Chat and chat message back-ups, and that the implementation date be no later than December 31, 2022. 

Fight for the Future has launched an open letter to organize support for default end-to-end encryption for all direct messaging as the single most important action you can take right now to protect vulnerable people and proactively create a culture of privacy and security among your user base. Through the letter and its endorsers, we hope to demonstrate the enormous amount of support for default end-to-end encryption across fields and communities, from everyday people to human rights activists, artists, security experts, companies, and influencers. 

The campaign page also contains summaries of publicly available information on major tech companies’ end-to-end plans and policies. We look forward to posting an update in Google’s section once you clarify your implementation timeline.

We welcome the opportunity to set up a meeting to discuss the issue further.

Hello, 

Fight for the Future is a digital rights organization with more than 3 million members nationwide. We are writing to urge Discord to implement default end-to-end encryption for all messages and message back-ups immediately. 

We were shaken by recent reports revealing that Facebook handed over a Nebraska teenager’s abortion-related DMs to law enforcement. We know this is likely the first of many cases to come.

For years, law enforcement has monitored marginalized groups—including BIPOC, immigrants, social justice activists, and sex workers—through their online communications and through other forms of surveillance. Security experts and human rights organizations have sounded the alarm about this abuse and point to default end-to-end encrypted messaging as a first and best step companies can take to protect targeted communities. Those experts and groups include: 

• The former director of the NSA, along with the former homeland security secretary and a former deputy defense secretary
• A former director of GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence and security agency
• The head of the Information Commissioner’s Office, a body that oversees the protection of people’s data in the UK
• BSR, the business network and consultancy commissioned by Meta to assess the human rights implications of end-to-end encrypted messaging 
• Amnesty International
• Human Rights Watch

Discord’s failure to implement this privacy feature by default has already left many too many people vulnerable. Users have requested the feature, but Discord still has not publicized any plans to implement E2E. With the reversal of Roe putting millions more people in direct danger of criminalization and attacks from law enforcement and anti-abortion vigilantes, the urgency of securing people’s DMs cannot be overstated. End-to-end encryption is crucial for protecting people from anti-human rights attacks on their bodily autonomy and personhood.

We’re calling on Discord to announce a firm date for the implementation of default end-to-end encryption for all messages and message storage, and that the implementation date be no later than December 31, 2022. 

Fight for the Future has launched an open letter to organize support for default end-to-end encryption for all direct messaging as the single most important action you can take right now to protect vulnerable people and proactively create a culture of privacy and security among your user base. Through the letter and its endorsers, we hope to demonstrate the enormous amount of support for default end-to-end encryption across fields and communities, from everyday people to human rights activists, artists, security experts, companies, and influencers. 

The campaign page also contains summaries of publicly available information on major tech companies’ end-to-end plans and policies. We look forward to posting an update in Discord’s section once you clarify your implementation timeline.

We welcome the opportunity to set up a meeting to discuss the issue further.