Encryption Is Getting Squeezed From All Sides

Canada’s proposed C-22 bill could require technology companies to make data accessible to law enforcement and retain more information, putting encrypted services under pressure. Several companies have warned they may leave Canada if it passes, raising questions about where privacy-focused services can operate safely as similar proposals appear in other countries.

The bill, first proposed in 2025 and partly revised after criticism, could apply to companies outside Canada and require them to build “technical capabilities” for data access. Critics say access to end-to-end encrypted data would amount to a backdoor, despite wording that rejects “systemic vulnerabilities”; they warn such weaknesses could be found and abused. Signal says it would exit Canada, Psiphon says it would leave if the bill passes, while Apple and Meta have criticised it and DuckDuckGo and NordVPN say they may withdraw.