Surfshark
October 21 marks Global Encryption Day — an annual reminder of why encryption remains one of the most powerful tools we have for protecting privacy, security, and freedom online. This year, Surfshark is proud to support the day once again, standing alongside the Internet Society and the Global Encryption Coalition in defending strong encryption for all.
Encryption isn’t just a technical feature. It’s essential hygiene for the digital age — and it’s under threat.
What is encryption, and why does it matter?
Encryption is the process of converting information into a coded form that only authorized parties can read. It’s the invisible shield protecting your messages, your payments, your health records, and countless other aspects of your digital life.
Here’s why it’s so critical:
It protects fundamental rights
Encryption directly supports the rights to privacy and freedom of expression. It’s especially vital for journalists, lawyers, doctors, activists, and vulnerable communities whose safety depends on secure, surveillance-free communication.
It's the foundation of digital security
Encryption underpins the security of phones, laptops, messaging apps, banking software, and critical digital infrastructure. It protects against cyberattacks like ransomware and phishing, ensures stolen devices don’t expose private information, and keeps sensitive data secure. Without it, the digital systems we rely on every day would be fundamentally unsafe.
It's embedded in legal frameworks
Encryption is a legal requirement in many jurisdictions. Under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for example, encryption of personal data is explicitly required as a key security measure. Policymakers have recognized that strong encryption is not optional — it’s necessary.
Why strong encryption should be available to everyone
Encryption works because it’s secure by design. But that’s exactly why some governments and policymakers want to weaken it.
Proposals to introduce backdoors, intentional vulnerabilities that would allow authorities to access encrypted communications, continue to surface. But there’s a fundamental problem: there is no such thing as a backdoor that only the good guys can use.
Any vulnerability created for lawful access will inevitably be discovered and exploited by malicious actors. Cybercriminals, hostile governments, and surveillance tools don’t distinguish between a backdoor meant for law enforcement and one they can exploit themselves.
The conclusion is clear: either encryption is strong, or it is broken. There is no middle ground.
Surfshark's support for Global Encryption Day and the Internet Society
This year, Surfshark is supporting Global Encryption Day by contributing to the Internet Society, which leads the Global Encryption Coalition. Our support helps fund Global Encryption Day activities, including efforts to help communities organize and encourage broader encryption advocacy around the day.
The Internet Society has been a leading voice in defending encryption globally, and we’re proud to stand with them. Their work is critical to ensuring that strong encryption remains available to everyone, everywhere. But the threats to encryption are real and growing.
“One of the biggest threats to encryption recently has been in Canada, where legislation, called Bill C-22, would allow the government to force companies to secretly install encryption backdoors in their products to facilitate law enforcement access. In a time where AI-powered attackers can move faster than ever, lawful access mandates that require built-in security vulnerabilities are incredibly dangerous.”
– Ryan Polk, Director, Internet Policy, Internet Society
The way forward: strengthen encryption, don't weaken it
Weakening encryption is not an effective way to reduce online harm. If encryption is compromised, it’s ordinary citizens who are left more vulnerable — not the bad actors, who will simply shift to other methods.
Strong encryption is essential to protecting human rights, sustaining economic resilience, and preserving trust in digital systems. It must be defended as a cornerstone of both security and democracy. Anything less risks trading away the safety of the many for an illusion of control over the few.
