- Apple, Meta, and Signal have pushed back at Canada’s proposed “lawful access” bill.
- The tech giants have threatened to leave the region if Canada passes Bill C-22.
- Bill C-22 proposes increased surveillance from electronic service providers in Canada.
Tech giants in Canada are pushing against the proposed “Lawful Access” Bill C-22, which aims to modernize investigative tools for police and intelligence agencies (CSIS). Submitted in March 2026, the bill seeks to compel technology, telecommunications, and internet service providers to simplify granting law enforcement access to user data.
Tech Giants Push Back at Bill C-22
The controversial bill has triggered reactions from multiple tech companies, including Signal, Apple, and Meta, all of whom claim it would make Canadians less safe. They believe the bill will give the government unlimited access to the private activities of Canadian residents.
Privacy messaging app Signal has threatened to pull out of the country if the bill gets passed, which would force the company to comply with the new legislation. The firm’s vice president of strategy and global affairs, Udbhav Tiwari, noted that such legislation could threaten end-to-end encryption, which is the backbone of most privacy-focused communication and transaction platforms, exposing them to potential cyberattacks.
What is Bill C-22?
For context, Canada’s Bill C-22 would require electronic service providers to build surveillance capabilities and retain certain user metadata for up to a year as part of a broader push to help law enforcement investigate crimes such as terrorism and child exploitation.
However, the bill’s implications for user privacy are a concern for many and echo the target of the EU’s controversial chat control proposal, which encryption-enabled platforms considered a threat due to its push for client-side scanning of private messages.
Apple and Meta’s Firm Position on Bill C-22
Apple and Meta publicly opposed the bill earlier this month, with Apple outrightly stating that it would never build a “backdoor” into its products. Meta’s executives took a similar stand while testifying before the Standing Committee on Public Safety. They warned that the bill’s sweeping powers, minimal oversight, and lack of clear safeguards could ultimately make Canadians less safe.
Beyond surveillance capabilities, data retention, and encryption backdoors, the bill also requires service providers to create standardized, streamlined methods for turning over information. These requirements have triggered pushbacks, particularly regarding the potential for massive compliance costs on the private sector and risks to user privacy. Most experts consider Bill C-22 an “unprecedented level of surveillance.”
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