-- (Updates with Meta's statement in the fourth and fifth paragraphs.)
Apple (AAPL) and Meta Platforms (META) have opposed a Canadian bill that could require them to break the encryption of their devices and services, Reuters reported Thursday, citing company statements.
Canada's ruling Liberal Party proposed Bill C-22, which law-enforcement officials say would help them probe security threats earlier and take immediate action, according to the report.
End-to-end encryption means that only the users can access their data without the decryption key, and it is widely used in services like WhatsApp and iMessage, Reuters said.
"The technical community's consensus on this is clear: it is not possible to build backdoors to encrypted systems for law enforcement without creating vulnerabilities that will be exploited by malicious actors," Meta said Thursday in a statement.
Meta wants the bill revised to drop third-party surveillance mandates, protect encryption by tightening the "systemic vulnerability" definition, and create a formal mechanism to contest problematic requests, according to the statement.
Apple did not respond immediately to a request for comment from.
(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)
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