Indian Court Orders Process To Block Proton Mail Over AI Deepfake Harassment
Protonmail allegedly empowers anonymous harassment. Is it true?
A Karnataka High Court has ordered India to block Proton Mail following allegations of AI-generated deepfake abuse and explicit content targeting a Mumbai-based design firm.
The April 29 ruling responds to a January 2025 complaint by M Moser Design, whose staff received degrading emails with obscene language, sexually explicit material, and AI-manipulated imagery.
The email addresses in question were registered on Protonmail, an anonymous email service provider.
Justice M Nagaprasanna directed authorities to invoke India's IT Act to block Proton Mail “forthwith” pending a full review under cybersecurity protocols.
Why this matters:
AI weaponization: The case spotlights how generative AI tools and email providers are allegedly being exploited for harassment.
Encryption debate: Proton Mail's end-to-end encryption clashes with governments demanding access to combat cybercrime.
Legal precedent: This marks India's second Proton Mail ban threat in two years.
Proton Mail remains accessible in India as of publication - with the Swiss company yet to publicly respond.
(I've been searching their social media websites, blogs, and Reddit. No updates so far.)
The service previously faced scrutiny in 2024 after bomb hoaxes sent via its platform.
Legal experts warn the ruling could embolden broader crackdowns on encrypted services amid rising AI-driven cyber threats.
India's push mirrors global struggles to balance user privacy with law enforcement needs in the generative AI era.