BIG Tech is pushing back against Canada’s encryption bill, with Apple and Meta opposing Bill C-22 and warning that it could force companies to build encryption backdoors or install government spyware. Meta points to the Salt Typhoon espionage campaign as evidence that authorised backdoors can be exploited, while Public Safety Canada maintains the bill would not require systemic vulnerabilities, though the risks cited revolve around how its broad powers could be interpreted once enacted, according to SecurityWeek.
The publication notes that OpenAI and other tech players have recently shown interest in regulatory access to AI systems, but the focus here remains on the tension between national security aims and digital rights. The article presents the stance as claims from the companies, framed by SecurityWeek as part of a broader debate over lawful access and privacy.
According to Public Safety Canada, the bill’s intent is not to mandate systemic vulnerabilities, but observers fear the potential consequences of expansive powers in practice.