Google and Apple Oppose Canada's Bill C-22 Over Privacy Concerns

Representatives from Google and Apple said that Canada's Bill C-22 could undermine encryption services and jeopardize user privacy during testimony in Ottawa.

This opposition highlights a growing conflict between national security legislation and the technical architecture of the modern internet. If passed, the bill could force companies to alter how they protect user data, potentially creating vulnerabilities that hackers or foreign actors could exploit.

Two major tech companies ^[1] and a group of experts voiced their concerns regarding the current drafting of the bill. The representatives said the legislation grants overbroad ministerial powers that could allow the government to bypass standard security protocols.

One primary concern involves the impact on end-to-end encryption. The companies said that mandates requiring access to encrypted communications would weaken the security of the entire ecosystem for all Canadians. They said that creating a "backdoor" for government access inherently compromises the privacy of every user on the platform.

Additionally, the experts raised alarms about the security risks associated with retaining metadata. They said that requiring companies to store large volumes of user metadata creates a high-value target for cyberattacks. The representatives said that the current requirements in Bill C-22 do not provide sufficient safeguards to prevent the misuse of this information.

Throughout the proceedings, the tech representatives said the government's approach to surveillance lacks the necessary precision to protect civil liberties. They said lawmakers should reconsider the scope of the ministerial powers to ensure that security measures do not come at the cost of fundamental privacy rights.