Andy Yen, CEO of Swiss tech company Proton, warns that proposed revisions to Switzerland’s surveillance law could force secure communications providers like ProtonMail and Threema to hand over user data—something they currently are not required to do without a court order. Yen argues the revision represents an “aggressive expansion of the surveillance state” and directly threatens both the privacy of users and the business viability of companies like his.
Yen, whose company employs 500 people globally (150 in Switzerland), stated that if the changes are implemented, Proton would be compelled to relocate. He emphasized that the proposed law would make Swiss surveillance stricter than that in the United States or the European Union, thereby harming Switzerland’s reputation for security, privacy, and trust.
A previous attempt to broaden surveillance powers in 2018 was blocked by the Swiss Federal Court in 2021. Yen claims the new proposal effectively circumvents that ruling.