End of day for Wickr Me encrypted messaging platform. The Amazon subsidiary announced in a press release on November 18 that it would be terminating its service. The platform was the target of several journalistic investigations: presence of child pornography content, recruitment of jihadists or questionable contracts.
Acquired in June 2021 by Amazon Web Services (AWS), Wickr Me allows its users to sign up without a phone number or other potentially identifying information. In its press release, Wickr Me indicates that it now wants to focus on “securing the data and communications of [ses] business and public sector customers with AWS Wickr and Wickr Enterprise.” This means that the messaging service is no longer accepting new registrations and will stop working entirely on December 31, 2023.
However, Wickr Me never mentions the controversies it has been the subject of in recent years. In June 2022, nbc news revealed that Wickr Me had become a platform for sharing child pornography content. A total of 75 cases in five years. Children’s rights associations told US media that Wickr Me was not doing enough to detect or denounce the sharing of this type of content on its platform.
many sensitive cases
AWS said in June that “Amazon is committed to preventing ‘this type of content’ in all segments of its business, including Wickr, which has strict terms of service that clearly prohibit illegal activity. We are taking action immediately in case of behavior illegal. , respond immediately to requests from law enforcement and take appropriate action. Anyone who violates our Terms of Service is subject to account termination.”
In 2015, the messenger was already the subject of investigations that claimed that the Islamic State used Wickr Me to recruit new members. the Washington Post also reported in December 2021 that the platform was used by US government agents for messages that self-destruct after 24 hours. Courier was also widely used by official services such as US Customs.
Source: BFM TV
