Apple and Google Advocate for Judicial Oversight in Canada’s Lawful-Access Bill
The two tech giants, Apple and Google, have publicly advocated for amendments to Bill C-22, a proposed lawful-access bill currently under review by the Canadian House of Commons. They argue that the current draft of the bill poses potential risks to data encryption and user privacy.
Key Points:
- Judicial Oversight: Apple and Google are urging Parliament to incorporate judicial review into the process of issuing orders compelling encryption changes. Currently, the bill allows ministers to issue such orders secretly without prior court approval.
- Concerns with Technical Capability Provision: The companies object to a section of the bill that grants ministerial power to require electronic service providers to build technical capabilities for surveillance. They fear this could lead to backdoors in their systems and compromise user data security.
- Narrower Position than Signal’s: While neither company is calling for the bill’s outright abolition, they are advocating for stricter limitations on the use of secret orders and requesting court approval for such actions. This stands in contrast to Signal, who has threatened to leave the Canadian market if C-22 passes in its current form.
- International Implications: The political landscape surrounding the bill has intensified with concerns raised by US lawmakers regarding its potential impact on national security and cross-border data flows.
This debate highlights a broader trend, as similar discussions around investigatory powers and data privacy have unfolded in other countries like the UK.