Encryption helps protect people’s human rights online. By rendering digital data unintelligible, encryption helps ensure that private information sent over the internet stays private. It also allows people to access and operate in safe online spaces where they can speak freely and express their ideas and opinions without fear...

Amnesty International initially sent letters to the 11 companies assessed in this report [Apple, Blackberry, Facebook, Google, Kakao Inc, Line, Microsoft, Snapchat, Telegram, Tencent, Viber Media], requesting information about each company’s current encryption standards, and details of policies and practices the company has in place to ensure it meets its human rights responsibilities in relation to its online messaging services. Seven companies responded to Amnesty’s first letter...Amnesty did not receive any response from Blackberry, Google, or Tencent...