Civil society organisations, companies and individuals ask governments to support online safety and security by not undermining encryption

Civil society organisations, companies and individuals from more than 35 countries have signed an open letter asking governments to ‘reject laws, policies, or other mandates or practices, including secret agreements with companies, that limit access to or undermine encryption and other secure communications tools and technologies’. Noting that ‘encryption tools, technologies, and services are essential to protect against harm and to shield our digital infrastructure and personal communications from unauthorized access’, signatories of this letter encourage governments to ‘support the safety and security of users, companies, and governments by strengthening the integrity of communications and systems’.