Signal, Apple Warn Canada Over Bill C-22 Privacy Demands

- Signal threatens to leave Canada as encryption crackdown escalates - US lawmakers and tech firms say surveillance bill endangers global security On May 15, 2026 (UTC), The Globe and Mail reported that Signal warned it would withdraw its messaging service from Canada if the government compelled it to weaken its encryption under Bill C-22, the proposed Lawful Access Act. According to The Globe and Mail on May 15, 2026, the legislation would require telecom providers and messaging platforms to install government-access surveillance backdoors and would also require them to retain user metadata for 1 year. On May 15, 2026, Signal Vice President of Strategy Udbhav Tiwari said in comments reported by The Globe and Mail that the company is “prepared to exit the Canadian market” to protect user privacy, and this stance parallels earlier actions by Apple, which disabled certain privacy features in the UK following similar policy moves. These proposed requirements have therefore sparked alarm throughout the tech industry and privacy advocacy circles. According to Business Insider on May 15, 2026, Apple and Signal both argue that mandated backdoors undermine user security and trust. Business Insider also quoted privacy researcher Yanik Guillemette, who described backdoor mandates as an “unacceptable threat to individual privacy and to the security of financial systems and infrastructure,” and he referenced multiple real-world breaches tied to forced access vulnerabilities. The bill’s reach has meanwhile extended beyond Canada’s borders. The Globe and Mail reported on May 15, 2026, that formal warnings from US congressional committee chairs cautioned Bill C-22 would force American tech firms to lower security standards around the world, thereby endangering US interests and global digital infrastructure. In addition, CBC reported on May 15, 2026, that American lawmakers have made Bill C-22 a focal point in cross-border data protection debates, and many warn that its passage could create a destabilizing international precedent. According to the National Observer on May 15, 2026, the bill is now under review at the committee level in the Canadian Parliament and is expected to undergo judicial scrutiny. The National Observer also reported that legal experts expect particular focus on its mandate to retain user metadata, a category the Canadian Supreme Court previously recognized as protected by privacy law. As lawmakers deliberate, the threat of withdrawal by major encrypted platforms therefore remains real. Privacy advocates and tech industry leaders emphasize that Bill C-22’s impact is not limited to Canada, and they argue that it could reshape the balance between national surveillance ambitions and global digital security standards.