Global Coalition Warns Sweden Against Encryption Backdoor Legislation

A coalition of 237 civil society organizations, cybersecurity experts, and major tech firms — including Mozilla, Proton, Wire, Tuta Mail, and Signal — has issued a joint letter urging Sweden's Riksdag to reject a proposed surveillance law that would compel providers to weaken or abandon end-to-end encryption.

The legislation, titled “Ju2024/02286 Datalagring och åtkomst till elektronisk information”, is designed to grant law enforcement expanded access to electronic communications in the name of combating serious crime. However, critics argue that the proposal would mandate encryption backdoors, fundamentally compromising digital security for millions in Sweden.

The letter, published earlier this week, was coordinated by members of the Global Encryption Coalition, a network of over 400 organizations advocating for strong encryption worldwide. Among the signatories are high-profile figures such as Daniel Stenberg, founder of the curl project, Meredith Whittaker, president of Signal, and leading academics and cryptographers from Karlstad University, Chalmers, and Stanford.

The law would require providers to store and furnish law enforcement with user communications, including data protected by end-to-end encryption — a safeguard which ensures that only the sender and recipient can access message content. According to the consensus among cryptographic experts, this demand is technically infeasible without introducing a backdoor — a vulnerability that could be exploited by malicious actors, not just law enforcement.

The Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) has echoed these concerns. In a formal objection earlier this year, the military warned that such access “cannot be fulfilled without introducing vulnerabilities and backdoors that third parties can exploit.” The military recently endorsed Signal as a secure channel for non-classified communication among defense personnel, a move now in direct conflict with the proposed legislation.

Signal, operated by the nonprofit Signal Foundation, has made its position clear. In February 2025, the company threatened to exit the Swedish market should the law pass. “We would rather leave than compromise the core encryption that ensures user safety,” said Whittaker in an interview with SVT Nyheter. This stance mirrors recent developments in the UK, where Apple withdrew its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) encryption feature following a similar backdoor mandate.

The stakes are particularly high for vulnerable populations in Sweden. The letter highlights the impact on journalists, human rights activists, survivors of domestic abuse, and LGBTQ+ individuals who depend on secure communications for safety. It also notes that over 40% of Swedish internet users currently use encrypted messaging platforms — demonstrating the widespread reliance on privacy-preserving technologies.

Sweden’s digital infrastructure, public institutions, and economy also stand to suffer. The law could deter privacy-focused service providers from operating in Sweden, reducing citizens’ access to secure communication tools. Entities like Proton, Tuta Mail, and Wire — which are prominent in Europe’s secure tech landscape — may follow Signal's lead if the legislation proceeds.

The signatories advocate for modern, targeted investigative techniques — such as digital forensics, data analytics, and international cooperation — rather than broad data collection mandates that erode the security of all users. The letter concludes with a firm warning: passing this law would not only endanger Sweden’s cybersecurity but also undermine its standing on human rights and digital freedom.

The Riksdag is expected to vote on the bill in 2026. If approved, it could reshape the legal environment for encrypted services in Sweden and reverberate through Europe’s broader debate on privacy versus surveillance.