The National Network to End Domestic Violence Discusses Protecting Victim Privacy While Holding Offenders Accountable

Future of Privacy Forum Advisory Board member Cindy Southworth, Executive Vice President and Founder of the Safety Net Technology Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), shared a post we thought was important. In its article, “Smartphone Encryption: Protecting Victim Privacy While Holding Offenders Accountable,” NNEDV recognizes the significance of smartphone encryption in the ability for law enforcement to hold offenders accountable, but also states that smartphone encryption does not prevent law enforcement from doing an investigation of technology-facilitated domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

NNEDV points out that in most cases, it is possible for law enforcement to successfully investigate and build a domestic violence and sexual assault case without needing the perpetrator’s smartphone. It is explained that evidence of harassment via emails, texts, or social media will also exist on other technology platforms. Thus, access to the smartphone is not required.

Essentially, NNEDV contends that the issue of smartphone encryption comes down to balancing victim privacy and offender accountability. It believes that both are equally important, but neither should be compromised for the other. NNEDV suggests that instead of finding waysto get around smartphone encryption, law enforcement agencies deserve and need far more resources to investigate crimes facilitated through technology.

Click here to read the full article.