Data protection made in the USA - everywhere?
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sounding the alarm - and is summoning 13 of the world's largest tech companies. The reason: a lack of transparency in data protection and possible cozying up to foreign governments. The message from FTC boss Andrew Ferguson is clear: anyone who monitors or censors American users - and does so on behalf of foreign countries - is violating US law.
Whether Meta, Apple, Amazon or Signal - they should all now disclose how they are defending themselves against pressure from Brussels, London or other capitals. Because anyone who abandons or weakens end-to-end encryption, for example, could be deliberately deceiving their customers - and this is prohibited by law in the USA.
Attack on freedom of expression - made in Europe?
Ferguson names names and laws: The EU Digital Services Act (DSA), the UK's Online Safety Act, but also attempts from the UK to force US providers such as Apple or Google to introduce backdoors - the FTC sees all of these as a direct threat to fundamental American values. Specifically: data protection, security and, above all, freedom of speech.
There have recently been numerous attempts by foreign governments to pressure companies to censor content or weaken the security of users of our services, writes Ferguson in an open letter. Although China or Russia are not mentioned by name, the message is clear: not with us.
Anyone who does not offer secure encryption must say so - loud and clear!
The FTC's core demand: no hidden backdoors, no tacit cooperation with censorship authorities abroad - and if there is, then please provide a warning. Customers have a right to know when and how their data could be compromised.
This applies in particular to services that advertise end-to-end encryption but undermine it in the background through foreign pressure. According to the FTC, the omission of this security measure - or even the concealment of gaps - could be classified as consumer deception and unfair competition.
Dilemma for the tech giants: Legal pressure from all sides
What is considered "compliance" in Europe could be seen as "treason" against the US population. Particularly explosive: many surveillance laws - even in democratic countries - prohibit companies from making the existence of backdoors or surveillance orders public.
The companies are therefore caught between a rock and a hard place: If they follow the pressure from Europe or the UK, they risk trouble with the FTC. If they follow the FTC, they risk fines or sanctions abroad. It is therefore no wonder that the authority is now requesting individual appointments with all 13 companies in order to examine their strategy.
Freedom must not be a business risk
This is a rare moment when American data protection is actually stricter than European data protection - at least on paper. The FTC is reminding the tech world that it's not enough to play nice with every regime just to stay in business.
And anyone who claims to offer end-to-end encryption but softens it in the background is not only lying, but also putting every single user at risk - whether in New York, Berlin or Beijing.
