TL;DR

Don’t use snapchat

TIL that Snapchat is an app used in 2024 without E2EE, Wikipedia article on Snapchat :

Encryption

In January 2018, Snapchat introduced the use of end-to-end encryption in the application but only for snaps (pictures and video), according to a Snapchat security engineer presenting at the January 2019 Real World Crypto Conference.[138][139][140] As of the January 2019 conference Snapchat had plans to introduce end-to-end encryption for text messages and group chats in the future.[141]

I think the most newsworthy part of this is that UK monitors private communications of British citizens. The person was making an obvious joke within a private snapchat group of his friends who knew this was a joke. There was no threat and no hoax because this was a private chat where everybody had context that this was a joke. This is what life in a dystopian surveillance state is like.

Update: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68099669

You were convicted of thought crime, next time think what you.. think, punk

Probably Snapchat or the phone automatically reported something.

I don't believe the Snapshat app doesn't use TLS, nor the airport performed some sophisticated man-in-the-middle attack.

he wrote "On my way to blow up the plane (I'm a member of the Taliban)." in a private group chat on snap chat

...a private group chat. Nothing stupid like posting it on xitter or other public place.

Its a fucking in-joke. Do I need to worry about what I say to my friends now in private and worry about what my friendly local government spy would think about it... ?

All this invasion of privacy all these years and all they have to show for it are a few false positives.

This is the best summary I could come up with:

If found guilty, the university student faces a hefty bill for expenses after two Spanish Air Force jets were scrambled.

Mr Verma's message was picked up by the UK security services who flagged it to Spanish authorities while the easyJet plane was still in the air.

A court in Madrid heard it was assumed the message triggered alarm bells after being picked up via Gatwick's Wi-Fi network.

Appearing in court on Monday, Mr Verma - who is now studying economics at Bath University - said the message was "a joke in a private group setting".

He said that the plane's pilot made an announcement, telling passengers that the fighter jets had been scrambled because of a distress signal that had been sent by mistake.

Mr Verma is not facing terrorism charges or a possible jail term, but could be fined up to €22,500 (£19,300) if found guilty and the Spanish defence ministry is demanding €95,000 in expenses.

The original article contains 470 words, the summary contains 157 words. Saved 67%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!