According to PANews, the Karnataka High Court in India has ordered an immediate ban on the encrypted email service Proton Mail, citing the authority of the country's Information Technology Act of 2008. This decision, made on April 29, 2025, follows a lawsuit filed in January by a design company in New Delhi, which accused its employees of receiving offensive emails through the service. Proton Mail previously faced a proposed ban in March 2024 due to a 'false bomb threat,' but it was not implemented.
This ruling highlights the increasing global regulatory scrutiny on encrypted communication platforms. Recently, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France over content moderation issues. Additionally, Proton Mail's Swiss parent company provided user data to Spanish authorities in 2024, raising concerns among privacy advocates about the centralization of services.