Apple Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. have publicly opposed a proposed Canadian law, Bill C-22, warning that it could force companies to weaken encryption protections on user devices and services.
The bill, currently under debate in the House of Commons, was introduced by Canada’s governing Liberal Party, which recently secured a parliamentary majority.
Canadian law enforcement officials argue that the legislation would improve their ability to detect and respond to security threats more quickly by granting broader access to digital communications.
However, the proposal has sparked concern across the global technology industry, with critics warning it could undermine user privacy and cybersecurity.
Bill C-22 is part of a wider international debate over “lawful access” to encrypted data, as governments seek greater investigative powers while tech firms defend end-to-end encryption systems.
End-to-end encryption ensures that only the sender and recipient can access communications, preventing even service providers or law enforcement from viewing the content without a decryption key. It is widely used in services such as WhatsApp and iMessage.
In a statement, Apple warned that the bill could compromise these protections.
“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.
Apple added that the legislation could potentially force companies to introduce “backdoors” into encrypted systems, a move it strongly opposes.
Meta also raised concerns in its testimony, saying the bill contains sweeping powers and insufficient safeguards.
The company warned that the law could require firms to “break, weaken, or circumvent encryption” and potentially install tools that resemble government spyware.
Experts note that similar debates have emerged in other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, where a previous data access request reportedly led Apple to reconsider certain encrypted cloud storage features.
Security analysts say the core tension lies between public safety objectives and the risk of weakening digital security infrastructure used by billions of users worldwide.
Canadian officials maintain that the bill is necessary to address evolving cybercrime and national security threats, while critics argue it could create vulnerabilities that malicious actors might exploit.
The legislation continues to face scrutiny as lawmakers weigh its potential impact on privacy, security, and digital rights.
