A proposed revision to Switzerland’s digital surveillance regulations has met with broad political and industry backlash, reported RTS. Critics say the draft, put forward by the Federal Council, threatens data privacy, allows disproportionate state intervention, and could undermine the country’s reputation as an innovation hub.
In a consultation process that concluded on Tuesday, parties across the political spectrum—including the Greens, Socialists, Liberal Greens, PLR/FDP, and the UDC/SVP—voiced opposition. They argue that the plan lacks clarity, contravenes existing law, and could have chilling effects on digital enterprise. The Centre Party declined to take a position.
Industry and civil society groups were equally critical. The Swiss Digital Society, encrypted messaging platform Threema, and privacy-focused email provider ProtonMail warned that the revisions amount to an significant expansion of state surveillance powers.
Unveiled in January, the proposal seeks to clarify the obligations of telecommunications providers when assisting law enforcement with legally authorised surveillance. Traditional operators such as Swisscom, Sunrise, and Salt would remain subject to current rules, but the scope would be broadened to include infrastructure-less communication service providers—such as VoIP, cloud, VPN, messaging, and email platforms like WhatsApp, Threema, and ProtonMail.
The proposal introduces a new tiered system, categorising such providers into three groups based on revenue and user base, each subject to differentiated compliance obligations. The Federal Council argues that this approach enables a more “balanced gradation” of responsibilities.
The authorities insist the revision merely clarifies, rather than strengthens, current requirements. According to the deputy head of the federal surveillance authority, end-to-end encryption would remain unaffected, and the obligations of companies like Threema would not change in substance.
Threema disagrees. In a statement to Swiss media, it claimed that the proposed changes would force it to abandon its long-standing principle of data minimisation, fundamentally altering its privacy model.
Proton, meanwhile, warned that the plan would massively expand state surveillance capabilities. The Swiss Digital Society labelled the revision a serious assault on fundamental rights, SMEs, and the rule of law, while the Internet Society Switzerland accused the government of sacrificing civil liberties in favour of surveillance.
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RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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