After ProtoMail gave a climate activist’s IP address to French authorities under court order, the individual was identified and arrested shortly after.
Hosted email service provider ProtonMail has responded to criticism about its end-to-end encryption capabilities after French authorities obtained the IP address of a French climate activist who used the company’s services, saying all companies have to comply with laws, such as court orders, so long as they operate within 15 miles of land. “No matter what service you use, unless it is based 15 miles offshore in international waters, the company will have to comply with the law,” Yen said in a blog post. First reported by TechCrunch, the data collection performed by French authorities was part of an investigation into a group of climate activists who have occupied a number of apartments and commercial spaces in Paris. According to ProtonMail, French authorities, with the help of Europol, were able to acquire the IP address through receiving approval from Swiss courts to do so.
