Philip Zimmermann, the creator of the world’s most popular email encryption software, has relocated his company Silent Circle from the US to Switzerland in an effort to avoid America’s spy agencies. Silent Circle, who are best known for their encrypted Blackphone, have been fighting an ongoing battle to keep their encryption services safe from the NSA. They even pre-emptively shuttered their secure email service Silent Mail to avoid being ordered to hand over customer data.
Silent Circle’s move comes amid rumours that there could be an exodus of UK tech companies if Digital Dave pushes ahead with plans to clamp down on encryption. Will we ever see a British Snapchat?