Security News > 2020 > May > Surveillance Fears Drive Business Use of Secure Collaboration Tools
In December 2018, the Australian government passed the Telecommunications Access and Assistance Act, which allows the Australian government to compel cooperation and surveillance assistance from companies.
Local use of the Wickr Pro/business platform increased by 200%. In Russia, in May 2019 when the sovereign internet law was signed, tightening Moscow's grip on internet communications, use of Wickr again increased by 200%. It seems likely from these figures that the primary motivation for adopting secure collaboration platforms is concern over government interference in privacy.
Even though business is already subject to considerable government surveillance in many different forms, nevertheless business is led by individuals with individuals' attitudes towards privacy.
Whatever the causes, the one thing that cannot be denied is a sudden and dramatic uptake in the use secure collaboration tools that appears to correlate with fears of increasing government surveillance capabilities.
It would seem that the backlash against government surveillance that started with Edward Snowden's revelations about the Five Eyes' surveillance practices has not waned over the years.