Psiphon Threatens to Leave Canada Over Lawful Access Bill

• •Psiphon plans to exit Canada if Bill C-22 passes.
• •The bill requires changes for surveillance by police and CSIS.
• •Psiphon has 20 million users globally, primarily in repressive countries.

Psiphon, a Toronto-based VPN provider, announced plans to exit Canada if the federal government's Bill C-22 is enacted. The bill mandates electronic service providers to implement surveillance capabilities for police and CSIS, which Psiphon argues would compromise user privacy. With 20 million monthly users globally, particularly in oppressive regimes like Iran and China, Psiphon emphasizes that the bill would hinder its ability to protect users from censorship. The company, originally a project of the Citizen Lab, is prepared to relocate its operations to maintain its privacy-preserving tools. The backlash against the bill has been significant among tech companies, with many expressing intentions to leave Canada if it passes.