Canada Could Force Apple and Google to Build Secret Backdoors Into Encrypted Devices

The proposed Bill C-8 was introduced by the Canadian government as a tool to combat crime and cyber threats. The legislation expands law enforcement powers and would allow authorities to require companies to provide technical assistance in accessing user data.

The most controversial part of the bill involves so-called “secret orders.” These orders could force companies to create or modify technologies in ways that would give law enforcement access to encrypted information, while simultaneously preventing the companies from disclosing that such an order even exists.

Privacy advocates and cybersecurity experts warn that this could pose a serious threat to user privacy. They argue that any backdoor, even one supposedly created “for the government,” could eventually be exploited by hackers or foreign intelligence agencies.

Critics also point out that the wording of the bill is extremely broad. As a result, the requirements could apply not only to smartphone manufacturers, but also to messaging apps, VPN providers, cloud services, and encryption platforms.

Experts have compared the situation to similar initiatives in the United Kingdom and Australia, where governments have also attempted to gain access to encrypted communications. In many cases, tech companies publicly opposed such demands, arguing that it is impossible to create a “backdoor only for the good guys.”

The report also notes that Apple has previously clashed with governments over demands to weaken encryption. The company has repeatedly stated that user privacy and security remain core principles of its products and services.

For now, the bill is still at an early stage of review, but it has already triggered heated debate among privacy advocates, tech companies, and cybersecurity experts.

If passed in its current form, Canada could become one of the countries where technology companies are legally required to help authorities bypass encrypted user data protections.