Defending Encryption in Sweden: An Open Letter to the Riksdag
Sigh, another day and another senseless threat to strong encryption. This time in Sweden!
But encryption has a posse.
I'm sharing an important open letter signed by 237 civil society organizations, companies, and cybersecurity experts, including Global Encryption Coalition members and 26 Internet Society chapters.
We are collectively urging members of the Swedish Riksdag to reject proposed legislation (Ju2024/02286 Datalagring och åtkomst till elektronisk information) that threatens the security and privacy of Swedish citizens, companies, and institutions.
This legislation, while intended to combat serious crime, would dangerously compel companies to store and provide law enforcement with access to user communications, including those protected by end-to-end encryption. The consensus among experts is clear: complying with this would force providers to create encryption backdoors, essentially a "master key" that introduces critical vulnerabilities.
The consequences of weakening encryption are severe. It would leave Sweden less safe against cyber threats and foreign adversaries, a concern echoed by the Swedish Armed Forces. You read that right.
The Riksdag must reject this dangerous legislation. Passing it would damage Sweden's economy, and commitment to human rights, creating a legacy of vulnerability for generations to come. We urge Swedish lawmakers to prioritize policies that strengthen, rather than weaken, cybersecurity.