The United States and the United Kingdom have entered into a landmark bilateral agreement that will allow law enforcement agencies in both countries to have quick access to data from tech companies such as Facebook and Google in criminal investigations.
Bilateral Agreement To Speed Up Criminal Investigations
The Justice Department said in a press release released on Thursday that the historic deal can help speed up investigations.
With the agreement, UK authorities can go directly to US-based tech companies for evidence in cases related to child sexual abuse, terrorism, and other serious crimes, while U.S. officials will have direct access to data from British communication service providers.
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and U.S. Attorney General William Barr signed the US-UK Bilateral Data Access Agreement at a ceremony held at the British Ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C.
Authorities currently have to go through government agencies to access evidence for criminal investigations from tech companies, but this can take years. Under the new agreement, the process will be expedited and reduced to just a matter of weeks or even days.
Law Enforcement With Court Authorization Can Demand Data
The terms provide that law enforcement with appropriate court authorization may go directly to tech companies based in the other country to access electronic data instead of going through governments.
"This agreement will enhance the ability of the United States and the United Kingdom to fight serious crime," Barr said in a statement.
"This agreement will make the citizens of both countries safer, while at the same time assuring robust protections for privacy and civil liberties."
The agreement, however, does not prevent tech companies from encrypting data on their platform. Patel previously said that end-to-end encryption helps terrorists, including the plotters of the London Bridge terror attack that used WhatsApp, which automatically encrypts messages, to plan their attack.
