Overview

• Justice M. Nagaprasanna of the Karnataka High Court instructed the Union Government to block Proton Mail under Section 69A of the IT Act, citing misuse of the platform.
• The directive follows a petition by M. Moser Design Associates, alleging Proton Mail was used to send abusive emails and AI-generated deepfake images targeting female employees.
• The court ordered the immediate blocking of specific URLs mentioned in the petition while nationwide blocking proceedings are initiated.
• Proton Mail, operated by Switzerland-based Proton AG, has not cooperated with Indian investigations, citing its offshore server infrastructure and privacy policies.
• Authorities plan to pursue data requests through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Switzerland as part of the ongoing investigation.