Apple and Meta have expressed their opposition to a Canadian bill that the companies say could force them to create backdoor access to encrypted user data . Bill C-22, proposed by Canada's ruling Liberal Party, contains provisions that could be similar to a data access order sent to Apple by the United Kingdom last year .
In February 2025, the British government demanded that Apple provide it with general access to encrypted user uploaded to the cloud. Apple refused and instead withdrew iCloud's Advanced Data Protection feature from the UK.
US officials later said Britain withdrew the request, following concerns raised by the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, that it could violate a cloud data treaty and gain access to US citizen data.
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Apple is now facing a similar confrontation on the other side of the Atlantic. Canadian law enforcement officials say Bill C-22 will help them investigate security threats earlier and act more quickly.
Apple resists backdoor access to data
However, Apple has opposed the proposed bill. The company made the following statement to Reuters: “In an era of growing and pervasive threats from malicious actors seeking access to user information, Bill C-22, as drafted, would undermine our ability to deliver the strong features and security that users have come to expect from Apple. This legislation could allow the Canadian government to force companies to break encryption by inserting backdoors into their products – something Apple would never do.”
Meta also argued that the bill contains “sweeping powers, minimal oversight and a lack of clear safeguards” that could ultimately make Canadians less safe.
Apple CEO Tim Cookhas repeatedly stressed that providing authorities with backdoor access would open the door for "bad guys" to gain access to its users' data.
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Cybersecurity experts agree that it would be a matter of time before malicious actors discovered such an entry point.
The Canadian bill is currently being debated in the House of Commons.
Governments vs Tech Companies
The controversy surrounding Canada’s Bill C-22 has brought to the forefront the ongoing requirements government security and digital privacy protections. Apple and Meta’s strong stance underscores the tech industry’s growing concern over legislative initiatives that could weaken encryption, a fundamental protection tool for billions of users worldwide.
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At the same time, this development is expected to be another critical test of how governments will balance the need for effective law enforcement with maintaining trust in the digital ecosystem. The final course of the bill could set an important precedent not only for Canada, but also for other countries considering similar regulations around access to encrypted data.
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