Signal hints it could leave Canada over lawful access bill

Signal's vice president of strategy said the firm “would rather pull out of the country” than comply with Bill C-22, which could threaten end-to-end encryption.

Privacy messaging app Signal has said it may exit Canada if forced to comply with the country's proposed lawful access bill, which would require companies to build technical surveillance capabilities that some argue could threaten end-to-end encryption.

In an interview with Canadian news outlet The Globe and Mail on Thursday, Signal's vice president of strategy and global affairs, Udbhav Tiwari, argued that the bill could threaten encryption and leave private messaging services vulnerable to potential cyberattacks. 

Bill C-22 is part of a regulatory package introduced in March. It 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.

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