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FTC Warns Tech Companies Against Compromising Encryption for Foreign Demands

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πŸ“° 3 unique sources, 3 articles

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning to major U.S. tech companies against yielding to foreign government demands that weaken data security, compromise encryption, or impose censorship. The FTC emphasizes that complying with such demands could violate the FTC Act and expose companies to legal consequences. The warning comes amid ongoing diplomatic tensions and legal pressures from foreign governments, including the EU and the UK, which have enacted laws that could undermine encryption and user privacy. The FTC's letter highlights the importance of maintaining strong data security measures and transparency with users. The letter also emphasizes that online platforms are critical to public discourse and that pervasive online censorship has outraged the American people. The FTC has invited the affected companies to discuss the issue further on August 28, 2025. The UK's Investigatory Powers Act was cited by the British government to request that Apple provide backdoor access to encrypted data, but the US announced that the UK had abandoned this demand.

Timeline

  1. 23.08.2025 18:21 πŸ“° 3 articles Β· ⏱ 24d ago

    FTC Warns Tech Companies Against Compromising Encryption for Foreign Demands

    The FTC has issued a warning to major U.S. tech companies against complying with foreign government demands to weaken encryption or impose censorship. The letter, signed by FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson, highlights the legal obligations of U.S. firms under the FTC Act and the importance of maintaining data security and transparency. The FTC has invited the affected companies to a meeting on August 28, 2025, to discuss the issue further. The letter emphasizes that online platforms are critical to public discourse and that pervasive online censorship has outraged the American people. The FTC warns that complying with misguided international regulatory requirements potentially violates Section 5 of the FTC Act, which involves deceiving consumers. The UK's Investigatory Powers Act was cited by the British government to request that Apple provide backdoor access to encrypted data, but the US announced that the UK had abandoned this demand.

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