'Encrypt It Already' Campaign Pushes Big Tech to Prioritize E2E Encryption

EFF demands tech giants deliver on encryption promises

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is publicly calling on major tech companies to finally implement default end-to-end encryption (E2E) across their messaging platforms. The digital rights group argues that the rapid integration of artificial intelligence makes this privacy safeguard more urgent than ever.

In a new report, the EFF highlights the gap between corporate promises of user privacy and the reality of most services. The organization specifically names Google, Meta, and Apple as companies that have either delayed or limited full E2EE deployment.

AI surveillance raises the stakes for privacy

The EFF contends that the rise of AI has created unprecedented surveillance capabilities. Automated systems can now scan, analyze, and flag user content at a scale impossible just a few years ago.

"When a company has access to your messages, it has the keys to your digital life," the report states. The group warns that without true end-to-end encryption, private conversations are vulnerable to data breaches, overreaching government requests, and internal company misuse.

Companies lag behind their own timelines

Several tech giants have announced E2EE plans but have failed to fully execute them. Meta, for instance, has been gradually rolling out default E2EE on Messenger and Instagram Direct for years, but the process remains incomplete.

Google has enabled E2EE for its RCS-based Messages app, but it is not the default setting, requiring users to manually opt-in. Apple’s iMessage is a notable exception, having provided default E2EE for over a decade.

The EFF report outlines key failures in the current landscape:

• Promised features like default E2EE are stuck in "permanent beta."
• Backups of encrypted messages are often stored without the same protection.
• Companies exclude certain data, like metadata, from encryption schemes.

Encryption faces political and technical pressure

The push for widespread encryption is not without opposition. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies globally argue that E2EE hampers criminal investigations and child safety efforts.

Technically, implementing robust encryption at scale while maintaining features like cloud backups and cross-device sync presents challenges. However, the EFF argues these are solvable engineering problems, not valid excuses for delay.

"Companies have figured out how to deploy incredibly complex AI," the report notes. "They can figure out how to deploy encryption that they’ve already promised."

A call for accountability and user action

The EFF is urging users to pressure companies by choosing encrypted services and demanding transparency. The organization also calls for independent audits to verify encryption claims, as company statements are often misleading.

The report serves as a stark reminder that in the age of AI, digital privacy cannot be an afterthought or a half-implemented feature. For the EFF, the time for promises is over; the time for default end-to-end encryption is now.