FTC warns 13 firms over overseas encryption or censorship demands

The Federal Trade Commission is warning more than a dozen major U.S. tech companies that bowing to foreign government demands to weaken data security or censor American users could violate U.S. law. In formal letters to 13 firms, the agency emphasizes that protecting the privacy and security of American consumers remains a top priority, even when regulatory requests originate outside the United States. The letters also reiterate that foreign obligations do not excuse compliance with U.S. consumer protections, and they invite company leaders to discuss how to navigate competing regulatory pressures without compromising user security.

Recipients of the letters include Akamai, Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Cloudflare, Discord, GoDaddy, Meta, Microsoft, Signal, Snap, Slack, and X. The FTC chair underscored the potential legal and practical consequences if these companies weaken encryption or engage in targeted censorship under foreign dictates. He stressed that any claims of end-to-end security must reflect true protections for users and cannot be diluted by overseas regulatory demands.

The FTC’s warning comes as regulators in Europe and the United Kingdom push new rules...