In the global movement to protect encryption, our voices matter. When we raise our voices together, we inspire and enable others, including those in power, to make the choice to defend encryption.
As we approach the 5th annual Global Encryption Day, there is a continuing and concerning trend: governments around the world keep pushing for legislation that would undermine end-to-end encryption.
Encryption isn’t a technical feature, it’s a basic right that keeps our privacy, security, and freedom of speech safe. It keeps our information and communications confidential and secure, and is a crucial component of a safe and trustworthy Internet for everyone.
The sustained impact of the Global Encryption Coalition has shown that our united efforts can and do outpower the threats we face. This year alone, we’ve been tracking multiple pieces of legislation that propose weakening encryption as an ineffective solution to combating various online harms, and we have started to see the positive changes that public pressure and advocacy can make.
🇫🇷 France
The Bad Bill: The proposed ‘Narco Trafficking Bill’ initially included an amendment that would have forced companies to provide access to decrypted messages.
The Response to Advocacy: In April, the French Parliament removed the threat to encryption in the proposed ‘Narco Trafficking Bill’ after significant backlash from civil society, companies, and experts.
The Internet Society and Global Encryption Coalition in Action: A broad coalition of tech companies, civil society groups, and even some lawmakers helped get the amendment in the Narco Trafficking Bill removed. The Internet Society’s France Chapter hosted an encryption workshop for French policymakers. The Internet Society and the Global Encryption Coalition Steering Committee sent a letter to French lawmakers. A commission member’s office responded, noting that their party “has tabled an amendment to delete” the anti-encryption portion of the legislation and thanking us for our “email and for this alert.”
🇸🇪 Sweden
The Bad Bill: An anti-encryption bill similar to France’s bill is being debated, threatening to force platforms like Signal to create backdoors.
The Response to Advocacy: In May, the Swedish anti-encryption bill was postponed and the legislation is expected to be revised to remove the threat to encryption after an advocacy campaign from Swedish and international encryption advocates.
The Internet Society and Global Encryption Coalition in Action: The Internet Society Sweden chapter and local NGOs actively engaged with policymakers to raise awareness about the dangers of this legislation. On 8 April 2025, 237 civil society organizations, companies, and cybersecurity experts, including Global Encryption Coalition members, published a joint letter to members of the Swedish Riksdag calling on them to reject legislation that would force companies to undermine the encryption of their services.
🇪🇺 European Union
The Bad Bill: The European Union’s proposed CSAM regulation continues to be a battleground with the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU continuing to push the “chat control” proposal. The proposal undermines end-to-end encryption by mandating client-side scanning of everyone’s private messages (except for carving out government and military accounts).
The Response to Advocacy: In October, the most recent proposal for the European Union’s proposed CSAM regulation failed to reach enough support from EU member states to move forward as a result of advocacy efforts from a broad community of encryption advocates.
The Internet Society and Global Encryption Coalition in Action: In the European Union, the Internet Society has influenced chat control discussions over the past three years, informing and supporting a blocking minority of member states to oppose mandated client-side scanning within the Council of the EU. Member states that opposed chat control utilized arguments developed by the Internet Society, including the Czech prime minister who directly quoted a metaphor developed by our team. We also organized an Encryption Advocacy Workshop in Brussels to help civil society organizations understand encryption and develop advocacy strategies
🇺🇸 United States
The Bad Bill: The STOP CSAM Act would threaten the foundation of the Internet by imposing liability on people or organizations that implement security best practices to encrypt data transmitted or stored on their services.
The Response to Advocacy: While the bill progressed to the full Senate in June, a vote has not been held as amendments are being considered to address these security concerns.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
The Bad Bill: The government attempted to force Apple to build a backdoor in its end-to-end encrypted service, jeopardizing the security and privacy of millions globally, undermining the UK tech sector, and setting a dangerous precedent for cybersecurity.
The Response to Advocacy: After an advocacy campaign, the United Kingdom was forced to rescind their order on Apple to build a backdoor in their end-to-ed encrypted service. But, there are reports as of October that the UK government may be trying again.
🇨🇦 Canada
The Bad Bill: Bill C-2 would give the Canadian government broader powers to access private information without a warrant and force services to install “technical capabilities” (backdoors) to access Canadians’ encrypted communications and sensitive data.
The Response to Advocacy: In October, the government introduced Bill C-12, a revised version of Bill C-2, without the threat to encryption, after a dedicated advocacy effort. While Bill C-2 remains, it is unlikely to get enough votes to move forward due to the concerns of other political parties on the risks to privacy and security.
The Internet Society and Global Encryption Coalition in Action: On 15 September 2025, civil society organizations, companies, and cybersecurity experts, including Global Encryption Coalition members, published an open letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree urging the federal government to withdraw C-2. During parliamentary debate on C-2, a Member of Parliament made a statement that borrowed heavily from the GEC open letter in support of encryption.
Global Encryption Day 2025
If you care about your privacy and safety online, don’t let governments undermine it! Join us on 21 October, Global Encryption Day, to raise our voices in the collective fight to protect strong end-to-end encryption. There will be various online and local events you can join throughout the day.
Along with the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) and Mozilla, we will be hosting the Global Encryption Day Summit—A Shield in Uncertain Times: The Role of Encryption. Be sure to tune in to hear from various thought leaders and encryption advocates. Register to attend virtually.
Find a full list of events and resources to promote encryption at the Global Encryption Coalition website.
Image © Towfiqu barbhuiya via Unsplash