In a collective effort, 60 platforms, including Meta, Signal Foundation, Proton, Mozilla, and others, expressed apprehensions about the Telecom Bill 2023, warning of threats to end-to-end encryption. A letter addressed to Minister of Communication Ashwini Vaishnaw urged the government to reconsider the bill, stating that it could lead to secure services choosing not to operate in India.
The Rajya Sabha passed the Telecom Bill 2023 on December 21, and it now awaits the President’s approval to become law. Earlier, Meta had raised concerns about the broad definitions in the bill, potentially bringing over-the-top applications like WhatsApp and Signal under regulatory scrutiny.
In the joint letter, the signatories highlighted the bill’s potential to enhance surveillance without independent oversight, posing a risk to encrypted platforms. They called for the withdrawal of the bill and proposed inclusive consultations to incorporate rights-respecting amendments for the protection of encryption, privacy, and security.
Digital rights groups and organizations, including Access Now, Internet Freedom Foundation, SFLC.in, Internet Society, and Freedom House, joined the call for reconsideration.
