The UK's most senior counter-terrorism officer claims that some social media companies are refusing to cooperate with officers to combat terror threats in Britain — and sometimes even tipping-off suspects that police want to investigate them.
In a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Mr Rowley said:
"Our experience of social media and communications companies is of a very fragmented and highly variable level of cooperation, ranging from some who are very cooperative, those who are partially cooperative and those who are at the other end of the spectrum."
Lashing out at the software developers of social media companies, Mr Rowley added: "Some refuse to assist. For some it is also part of their strategy — they design their products in full recognition that they will be unable to help us because of the way they have designed them.
Watch Mark Rowley of @metpoliceuk discuss #Prevent #Surveillance and #Counterterrorism @RUSI_org http://t.co/kBJ09EtPVy
— RUSI (@RUSI_org) October 6, 2015
Mr Rowley said officers had stopped submitting requests for communications data in some terror investigations because, he claims, some companies tip-off the suspect.
"Some simply undermine us by adopting a policy that if they supply data to us they will tell the subject that they have done that."
The role of social media companies in countering terrorism remains a thorny issue for the British government in pursuit of new surveillance laws. The Home Secretary Theresa May is seeking support for the surveillance bill from internet and telecoms companies at the same time the head of MI5 is publicly calling for more powers to monitor potential threats.
He told the audience at RUSI that "up-to-date legislation" was needed to "operate in the modern digital age".
The government's new Communications Data bill, dubbed the Snooper's Charter, would grant police and intelligence services more power to intercept and monitor almost every channel of suspected terrorists' communication online and offline. Including every google search, telephone call, instant message and email.
This is Theresa May's approach to national security. #CPC15 #SnoopersCharter pic.twitter.com/QJIwohRYv2
— Louis Gill (@Louisjsgill) October 6, 2015
The bill could also force internet companies to hand over users' private data by implementing a mandatory "backdoor", opening up encrypted messages, allowing the government to bulk collect and snoop on private data.
Meanwhile, a recent report by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, David Kaye called on all States to ensure security and privacy online by providing "comprehensive protection" through encryption and anonymity tools.
But the argument over who should be allowed the right to anonymity and encryption online continues. Whether its a dark place in cyberspace for terrorists and criminals to communicate — or a space where everyone has the freedom to communicate, without being spied on.
