Wong asks how DORIS handles encrypted messages and auto-deletion
Wong asks how DORIS handles encrypted messages on Signal and other platforms and what happens with auto-deletion; Smith-Cruz says DORIS does not access encrypted messages, which is why the retention schedule is zero, and distinguishes instant messaging from social media publications that are archived permanently.
Thank you, Chair.
My first question is back to Commissioner Sean Smith-Cruz of Department of Records.
As I understand that we have encrypted messages here, and it seemed to me that
There's no purpose of archiving them if you cannot read them.
So how do you handle encrypted messages?
And what's your policy?
Because why are we archiving messages that we cannot read?
Thank you for that question.
Where are you finding?
Can I just?
Signal.
Well, let's start with signal.
Oh, signal.
Okay.
Or other.
There are other social media platforms that.
That support encryption.
So my question is, how do you access these messages if they're encrypted?
Thank you for that question.
We do not access the messages, which is why there is a retention schedule of zero.
So there is no expectation to archive signal currently.
And what about, what,
What about auto-deletion?
Like other social media platforms support that too.
So what do you say about those records?
You cannot archive them?
So if it's a social media platform, then the assumption there and the way that we're distinguishing between instant messaging and social media, which is why we have the two separate policies, is that social media is meant to be, is considered a publication.
It's a thing that is posted.
It is put out into the world already.
So a government official or an agent.
is publishing their works.
It's like a YouTube video or an Instagram post.
If the software posts it, then it is published.
And so the software is able to be captured and retained as a result of that process.
So it's technologically possible to do that for those types of platforms.