ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

London's police chief today warns society against letting parts of the internet become a “dark and ungoverned” space populated by paedophiles, murderers and terrorists.

In a call for action, Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe says encryption on computers and mobile phones is frustrating police investigations, meaning parts of the web are becoming “anarchic places”.

He was telling a New York law enforcement conference: “We can’t allow parts of the internet, or any communications platform, to become dark, ungoverned space where images of child abuse are exchanged, murders are planned and terrorist plots are progressed.

“In a democracy we cannot accept any space, virtual or not, to become anarchic where crime can be committed without fear. Yet this is in danger of happening.”

His comments come just days after GCHQ’s new head warned that US technology companies such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp were becoming “the command and control networks of choice” for terrorists.

Robert Hannigan said Islamic State extremists had “embraced” the web — but some tech firms remained “in denial” over the problem. Sir Bernard has spent several days in talks with New York and Washington police chiefs about the threat of terrorism and what he calls “the challenges and opportunities” of technology. Today he was meeting FBI director James Comey.

He was also telling law enforcement experts behind closed doors at the New York police department that the internet is now a safe haven for criminality, adding: “Privacy is important but in my view the security of communications methods and devices is growing beyond what any genuine domestic user could reasonably require.

Related stories Evening Standard comment: Privacy and the new risks of the internet

“The levels of encryption and protection we’re seeing in devices and methods used to communicate are frustrating the efforts of police and intelligence agencies to keep people safe.

“We need an informed, balanced discussion with communications providers to explore what they can do to help us protect the public from serious crime and terrorism.” This week FBI director Mr Comey said tech giants such as Apple and Google should co-operate with law enforcement and unlock mobile phones if requested.

He also said encryption on mobiles had made it harder for police and intelligence agencies to gather data .

Controversy over the security agencies access to personal data exploded in 2013 when Edward Snowden leaked details of internet and phone surveillance by US intelligence and GCHQ.

Home Office security minister James Brokenshire recently met representatives from technology firms — including Google, Microsoft and Facebook — to discuss tackling online extremism.

Responding to Sir Bernard’s views, Big Brother Watch director Emma Carr said: “Rather than bemoaning the fact that the internet can be used by criminals, Hogan-Howe should be focusing on the fact that our surveillance legislation has failed to keep up with developments in technology.”

“Updating that legislation would ensure that intelligence agencies and law enforcement will have the means to monitor those suspected of terrorism, while respecting the privacy of law-abiding citizens.