https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/proton-wins-appeal-in-swiss-court-over-surveillance-laws/47052196 * Navigation * Jump to Homepage * Jump to Navigation * Jump to content * Skip to search Your web browser is outdated. Please use a modern web browser for a better experience. * Chrome * Firefox * Edge Swiss perspectives in 10 languages Login User profile Close Search Menu Search function [ ] Search Search Life & Aging Proton wins appeal in Swiss court over surveillance laws data Proton was at the centre of a social media storm in September after it handed over an IP address that led to the arrest of climate activists. (c) Keystone A Swiss court has upheld the appeal of Geneva-based Proton, a provider of secure and anonymous email services, limiting its obligation to monitor traffic and retain data for surveillance purposes. This content was published on October 23, 2021 - 16:03 October 23, 2021 - 16:03 Reuters/jdp On Friday, the Swiss Federal Administrative Court upheld Proton's appeal against the Swiss Post and Telecommunications Surveillance Service (PTSS) over obligations to store data and monitor email traffic. The court confirmed that email services can't be considered telecommunications providers in Switzerland, and therefore are not subject to data retention requirements. Proton founder and CEO Andy Yen said the ruling was an "important first step" in its campaign to advance privacy and freedom, reported Reuters. "We expect there to be further attempts to force tech companies to undermine privacy in both Switzerland and abroad, and we are committed to continuing to challenge this through both our encryption technology and through the courts," he said. PTSS had decided in September 2020 that Proton could no longer benefit from limited surveillance obligations but had to store data necessary for surveillance and be available to answer questions. The court overturned this and sent it back on appeal. More More Why Switzerland is struggling to guarantee pensions for the next generation Switzerland faces a unique obstacle when it comes to preventing the pension system from collapsing with time. Last month ProtonMail found itself in the centre of a social media storm after it emerged that the company shared the IP address of one of its users as part of a French investigation that led to the arrest of climate activists. However, the company said that it had to comply with a Swiss court order to provide data that helped identify the activists. From its inception, the company has prided itself on strict user privacy and security. The recording of IP addresses is only allowed in "extreme criminal cases" according to the company's transparency report. ProtonMail was founded in 2013 at the initiative of a group of scientists from CERN in Geneva and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Proton says it is the largest secure email provider and uses end-to-end encryption and state-of-the-art security features. More More SWI plus App in English Brief news about Switzerland SWI Plus informs you about Switzerland and the world. Download the app now. More More climate activists Paris ProtonMail case tarnishes Swiss privacy reputation This content was published on Sep 16, 2021 Sep 16, 2021 The arrest of a French activist who used the Swiss ProtonMail e-mail service confirms that there is no anonymity on the Web. Articles in this story * ProtonMail case tarnishes Swiss privacy reputation Tags: * Latest News * Law and order * Sci & Tech * Business Comments under this article have been turned off. You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us! If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch. Read more * More More Profile of a person in front of computer screen Digital identity scheme shot down by voters over data privacy concerns This content was published on Mar 7, 2021 Mar 7, 2021 A clear majority of voters in Switzerland have rejected a law governing a proposed electronic identity system. * More More Trummer des World Trade Centers in New York, 2001. Surveillance: The exception has become the rule This content was published on Sep 10, 2021 Sep 10, 2021 The impact of the 9/11 attacks on anti-terror laws and state surveillance can still be felt today. * More More telecamere di sorveglianza Will Switzerland distance itself from the EU on mass surveillance? This content was published on Jul 8, 2021 Jul 8, 2021 While the EU is trying to prevent mass surveillance, the new anti-terrorism law in Switzerland could expand it. Share this story Follow us * * * * * About SWI * Annual Report SWI swissinfo.ch 2020 * Imprint * Data Privacy Statement * Newsletters * Contact * Jobs * Play SWI * SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR * RTS * SRF * RSI * RTR SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR Swiss perspectives in 10 languages * Front Page * Focus * Opinions * Debates * Videos / Podcasts * Swiss abroad * * Newsletters * Switzerland: How To * About SWI * Search * en English * de Deutsch * fr Francais * it Italiano * es Espanol * pt Portugues * ja Ri Ben Yu * ar `rby * zh Zhong Wen * ru Pusskii Join the conversation! 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