Internet companies are deleting customer data so they do not have to hand it over to the police or spy agencies in a fresh row over privacy and security, it has emerged.
The worst culprits are “new, smaller” providers meaning a new generation of communication companies are refusing to cooperate with law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The companies are uncomfortable cooperating with the authorities and are not retaining data to protect their customers’ online anonymity, an independent review of surveillance powers found.
The report does not name the companies in question.
Messaging services such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Kik and SnapChat have become very popular with terrorists and criminals for communicating with one another.
The security services are also "increasingly concerned" that they could be locked out from the communications of the most dangerous suspects because of sophisticated encryption techniques provided by companies.
The report, by a high profile panel for the Royal United Services Institute, also attacked the leaks by former CIA contractor Edward Snowden and said despite his disclosures there was no evidence of unlawful snooping by the spy agencies or mass surveillance.
However, there was a row within the panel, which included former heads of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, because the report concluded there was no evidence the Government had “knowingly” acted illegally in intercepting communications.
That raised the prospect that the agencies may have inadvertently breached the law because the rules governing it are so complex and out of date.
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