Apple Warns Canada's Bill C-22 Could Force Encryption Backdoors

Apple and Meta are publicly opposing a new Canadian bill that the companies warn could ultimately pressure technology providers to weaken encrypted services or build government access mechanisms into their platforms. The proposed legislation, known as Bill C-22, is currently moving through the House of Commons and has sparked major privacy concerns from the tech industry.



Backed by Canada's ruling Liberal Party, the bill is designed to give law enforcement broader powers to investigate security threats and intervene more quickly. However, Apple and Meta argue the legislation is written broadly enough that it could be used to compel companies to circumvent end-to-end encryption. That security standard ensures only the sender and recipient can view a message's contents. Not even the platform provider or law enforcement can access the data without the proper key, protections relied upon by services like Apple's iMessage and Meta's WhatsApp.


In a public statement regarding the legislation, Apple made its opposition clear. "At a time of rising and pervasive threats from malicious actors seeking access to user information, Bill C-22, as drafted, would undermine our ability to offer the powerful privacy and security features users expect from Apple," the company said. "This legislation could allow the Canadian government to force companies to break encryption by inserting backdoors into their products – something Apple will never do."

Protecting user data has long been central to Apple's software ecosystem. CEO Tim Cook recently highlighted the company's privacy-focused approach during a public interview, emphasizing the importance of keeping sensitive information securely encrypted on-device. Apple has also continued expanding hardened security features across its platforms, noting recently that Lockdown Mode has successfully defended users against sophisticated mercenary spyware attacks.

Meta echoed Apple's concerns in prepared testimony. Rachel Curran, Meta's head of public policy for Canada, alongside Privacy and Public Policy Director Robyn Greene, criticized the bill's "sweeping powers, minimal oversight, and lack of clear safeguards." The company warned that, as drafted, the legislation could force providers to weaken or circumvent encryption and zero-knowledge security architectures, or even require companies to install government spyware directly on their own systems.

The dispute mirrors a similar confrontation in the United Kingdom last year. Apple withdrew an advanced iCloud end-to-end encryption feature from the UK market after receiving a government data access order that raised concerns over lawful access demands. U.S. intelligence officials later said the British government abandoned the request after concerns were raised that it could violate an existing cloud data treaty.


Public Safety Canada maintains that the tech industry is misinterpreting the scope of Bill C-22. A spokesperson for the agency told Reuters that the law would not require companies to introduce "systemic vulnerabilities" into encryption systems, adding that technology firms have a vested interest in keeping their platforms secure.

Apple, Meta, and privacy advocates argue the concern is not how the legislation is currently being described publicly, but how the broad powers written into the bill could ultimately be interpreted and enforced once enacted.