The global coalition of over 40 companies and digital rights groups have issued an open letter urging governments worldwide to publicly commit to protecting encryption and ensuring a free and open internet. The letter, sent to policymakers in Australia, Canada, the European Union, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States on World Press Freedom Day, emphasizes the importance of digital privacy safeguards, particularly for journalists and their sources, and highlights their significance in preserving democracy and human rights.
The coalition argues that encryption is critical for user privacy, data security, online safety, press freedom, self-determination, and free expression. It states that law enforcement and malicious actors can access users' data and communications without encryption. Government attacks on encrypted services are seen as a threat to privacy and user safety in authoritarian countries and democratic nations.
The coalition expresses concern over legislative initiatives and proposed laws that weaken encryption or grant law enforcement access to user information. It mentions specific examples such as the Online Safety Bill in the U.K., the Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act and EARN IT Act in the U.S., India's Directions 20(3)/2022 – CERT-In, Bill C26 in Canada, the Surveillance Legislation Amendment Act in Australia, and proposed rules in the European Union to combat child sexual abuse. The coalition condemns these proposals as alarming examples of democratic governments following the path of authoritarian regimes, limiting their citizens' access to encrypted services and undermining their human rights.
The letter calls on democratic leaders to protect encryption and uphold the human right to privacy. It urges governments to ensure that encryption is not undermined by overreaching legislative initiatives, that technologies providing secure and encrypted services are not blocked or throttled, and to revisit any bills, laws, and policies that legitimize undermining encryption or blocking access to encrypted communication services.
The coalition emphasizes that encrypted services are crucial in defending online privacy, freedom of the press, freedom of opinion and expression. Journalists, whistleblowers, and activists rely on secure, encrypted solutions to protect their data and identity, and access to these tools can be a matter of life or death for those who depend on them.
The open letter aligns with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres' warning that freedom of the press is under attack worldwide. The coalition highlights that encryption is essential for safeguarding digital rights and the principles of a free and open society, protecting individuals and vulnerable communities, and empowering journalists and whistleblowers to expose abuses of power.
The coalition concludes by asserting that if policymakers believe they have a "magical key" to access encrypted communication, they ignore technical facts. Encryption is either secure for everyone or broken for everyone, and weakening encryption would jeopardize all citizens' security.
Individuals from the coalition, including representatives from organizations like the Tor Project, Fight for the Future, and Tutanota, emphasize the urgent need for privacy and the critical role of encryption in protecting individuals and ensuring a free and open society. They call on governments to recognize and safeguard access to encrypted tools, acknowledging their importance in preserving human rights and upholding democratic values.
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