Summary

Proton Mail, known for its privacy-first email services, faced backlash after CEO Andy Yen praised the Republican Party and its antitrust stance.

The company initially posted and deleted a statement supporting Yen’s comments, later claiming an “internal miscommunication” and reiterating its political neutrality.

Critics question Proton’s impartiality, particularly as it cooperates with Swiss authorities on legal data requests.

Privacy advocates warn that political alignments could undermine trust, especially for Proton’s users—journalists and activists wary of government surveillance under administrations like Trump’s.

  • LostAndSmelly@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    With this president flattery will get you everything. If you don’t publicly praise him he will come for you and your users.

    I am not saying that I love the endorsement, I do understand it.

    • brucethemoose@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I can see this for like Apple or Google, but…

      Proton?

      What beef could Trump and conservative influencers possibly have with it? And even if they did, it’s not even an American company, it’s Swiss.

    • VitoRobles@lemmy.today
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      2 days ago

      But he has absolutely no reason to do so. That’s like VPNs bowing to Trump.

      The lack of risk, especially when the average Proton user is actively looking for privacy/security from tech companies who bow to government, makes this endorsement even more sinister than it should be.

    • SushiRain@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Proton is based in Switzerland. If anything, I get the message that the only services that are Trump-proof are based in China or France, because everybody else has lost their fucking mind.

        • SushiRain@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          They are not acting like a bunch of unpredictable religious lunatics tho. So as long as I don’t mention Tianammen Square I should be 👍

    • futatorius@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      The only way to get rid of those bastards is to never comply with any pressure they bring to bear, short of literally pointing a gun at you. Kissing the ring makes you one of the enablers.