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.... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... The use of a secure communications app by the Children, Youth and Families Department that routinely encrypts and deletes communications between staffers is more than troubling. One child advocacy organization calls it “outrageous.” The attorney general says it’s “highly concerning.” And an open government organization likens it to shredding public documents, raising the possibility it constitutes a crime. In contrast to standard texts or emails, which can be accessed by attorneys, lawmakers, reporters and the public under the state’s Inspection of Public Records Act or discovery in a court case, messages sent via Signal are all but impossible to retrieve once deleted, leaving virtually no trace of a conversation. Use of Signal by CYFD was disclosed by Searchlight New Mexico, an investigative news organization. ....
By Ed Williams, Searchlight New Mexico | April 28, 2021 Kevin Beaty/Searchlight New Mexico The leadership of the agency in charge of child welfare has directed staff to use encrypted messaging to communicate. Since last year, the department tasked with overseeing foster care and child welfare in New Mexico has been encrypting and routinely deleting its communications, making much of its work essentially untraceable. The leadership of the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) has directed staff to use Signal, a secure communication app, and has set chats to automatically delete. In contrast to standard text messages or emails which could be accessed by attorneys, reporters and members of the public under the state’s open records laws messages sent via Signal are all but impossible to retrieve. Once deleted, virtually no trace of a Signal conversation remains, even on the company’s server. ....
By ED WILLIAMS Searchlight New Mexico Since last year, the department tasked with overseeing foster care and child welfare in New Mexico has been encrypting and routinely deleting its communications, making much of its work essentially untraceable. The leadership of the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) has directed staff to use Signal, a secure communication app, and has set chats to automatically delete. In contrast to standard text messages or emails which could be accessed by attorneys, reporters and members of the public under the state’s open records laws messages sent via Signal are all but impossible to retrieve. Once deleted, virtually no trace of a Signal conversation remains, even on the company’s server. ....
Searchlight New Mexico is a non-profit news organization that provides coverage on many issues of concern to New Mexico residents. Since last year, the department tasked with overseeing foster care and child welfare in New Mexico has been encrypting and routinely deleting its communications, making much of its work essentially untraceable. The leadership of the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) has directed staff to use Signal, a secure communication app, and has set chats to automatically delete. In contrast to standard text messages or emails which could be accessed by attorneys, reporters and members of the public under the state’s open records laws messages sent via Signal are all but impossible to retrieve. Once deleted, virtually no trace of a Signal conversation remains, even on the company’s server. ....