Internet Architecture Board (IAB) Statement with regards to Canada C-22 (“An Act Respecting Lawful Access”)
View this statement in the Datatracker: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/statement-iab-internet-architecture-board-iab-statement-with-regards-to-canada-c-22-an-act-respecting-lawful-access/ 27 May 2026 The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) is a technical committee in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the premier standards development organization (SDO) for the Internet. The IAB and the IETF have long sought to ensure that the Internet is a secure bedrock for open communication. Part of the principles guiding the stewardship of the protocols that form the backbone of the Internet is secure and reliable end-to-end communication enabled by strong encryption. The IAB and IETF have previously made multiple statements concerning wiretaps [RFC2804], backdoors [RFC1984], and surveillance [RFC7258]. We continue to oppose attempts to engineer security vulnerabilities into the Internet. Experience has shown that secondary access to protected communications systems, which violates the end-to-end principle (a foundational aspect of the Internet's design), can and will be exploited by unintended actors to the detriment of overall system security. We maintain that no backdoor can be engineered into a secure communications system without introducing an unprotectable weakness, endangering the security of the Internet and its users. Consistent with the principles outlined above and the IETF’s longstanding positions on strong end-to-end security, the IAB continues to support efforts opposing legislative measures that would require exceptional access or otherwise weaken encrypted communications systems. We earlier co-signed[1] an open letter[2] concerning Canada’s Bill C-2[3] (“Strong Borders Act”) as well as co-signed[4] an open letter[5] concerning Australia’s online safety standards[6]. The IAB remains concerned about proposals such as Canada’s Bill C-22[7] (“An Act Respecting Lawful Access”), that would weaken encrypted communications or introduce systemic security risks into Internet infrastructure. [1] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/statement-iab-co-signed-open-letter-bill-c-2-strong-borders-act/ [2] https://www.globalencryption.org/2025/09/open-letter-bill-c-2-strong-borders-act/ [3] https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/bill/C-2/first-reading [4] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/statement-iab-co-signed-joint-letter-in-response-to-australian-esafety-proposed-industry-standards/ [5] https://www.globalencryption.org/2023/12/take-action-sign-the-joint-letter-in-response-to-australian-esafety-proposed-industry-standards/ [6] https://www.esafety.gov.au/industry/codes/background-to-the-unlawful-material-standards [7] https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/bill/C-22/first-reading _______________________________________________ IETF-Announce mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
