A coalition of privacy advocates is urging the European Union to intervene against Canada’s Bill C-22, which could force international tech companies to weaken encryption and retain data.

Key Points

• Access Now and other civil society groups sent an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opposing the legislation.
• Bill C-22, also known as the Lawful Access Act, would grant Canadian authorities power to compel companies to build surveillance backdoors into digital products.
• The bill’s extraterritorial reach could force European-based firms to comply with data demands even if they have no direct operations in Canada.
• Major tech companies, including Google, Apple, and various VPN providers, have warned that the law would fundamentally compromise global end-to-end encryption standards.
• The Canadian Senate is expected to conclude its study of the proposed legislation by October 2026.

Why it Matters

The legislation threatens to set a global precedent by forcing international companies to prioritize surveillance over user privacy and cybersecurity. If enacted, these mandates could create systemic vulnerabilities that undermine the security of digital platforms for users worldwide.