Should governments be allowed backdoors into encrypted communication? At the CyberSweden 2025 conference, Chalmers researcher Elena Pagnin joined experts from Signal, Karlstad University, Cleura and RISE to discuss the controversial proposals now on the table in Sweden and the EU.
Elena Pagnin warned that the technology simply does not allow for “decryption on demand”. A universal key would make sensitive data in banks, healthcare and businesses vulnerable. “If encryption is weakened, society as a whole is at risk,” she said.
From the legal side, Arman Borghem from Cleura commented: “Today, Sweden faces law proposals suggesting to introduce backdoors to encrypted communication, and that fundamental rights must be respected – but still providers shall comply. That is a contradiction.”
Simone Fischer-Hübner stressed that such measures would be disproportionate, harming ordinary users far more than criminals, who can always move to alternative tools. She continued: “Privacy is not only a right for individuals – it is crucial for democracy. If people feel monitored, they may stop joining demonstrations or expressing themselves freely.”
Other panellists also emphasised the democratic dimension. Broad scanning measures would not stop determined criminals, but they would erode citizens’ privacy and trust in digital systems.
Signal’s Udbhav Tiwari pointed out that once client-side scanning is in place, it can quickly be extended to other areas – from terrorism to intellectual property: “If the capability exists on your device, it will be very hard to stop laws expanding its use – today for CSAM (child sexual abuse material), tomorrow for terrorism, the next day for intellectual property.”
The message from the panel was clear: weakening encryption will not stop crime – but it will weaken democracy.
The panellists:
- Arman Borghem, Regulatory & Compliance Advisor, Cleura
- Katarina Boustedt (Moderator), Research Coordinator, Cybercampus Sweden
- Simone Fischer-Hübner, Professor of Computer Science, Karlstad University, Chalmers & Cybercampus Sweden
- Elena Pagnin, Assistant Professor in Cryptography, Chalmers
- Udbhav Tiwari, VP Strategy & Global Affairs, Signal
