The High Court of Karnataka in India has recently issued an order to block the encrypted email service Proton Mail in the country. This decision came after Proton Mail refused to share information with authorities, citing the country’s Information Technology Act of 2008. The court order, issued by Justice M Nagaprasanna on April 29, instructed the government to immediately block domain names associated with Proton Mail. The order was based on a complaint filed by a New Delhi-based design firm, which alleged that some of its employees had received offensive emails through the service. It remains uncertain whether the ban will be enforced or face legal challenges. In a previous incident in March 2024, Indian authorities had proposed blocking Proton Mail in response to alleged hoax bomb threats, but the service continued to operate in the country. This move against Proton Mail is part of a global trend of taking action against platforms based on users’ activities, such as the recent arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France for allegedly failing to moderate illicit content. Proton has not responded to requests for comment on this issue. In Spain, Proton AG provided user information to authorities in 2024, raising concerns among privacy advocates about the security of data with centralized services. In the cryptocurrency industry, exchanges often face crackdowns or bans in various countries. In the US, crypto mixing services like Tornado Cash faced sanctions, while South Korea blocked several exchanges for operating without proper registration. In India, users are subject to a 30% tax on profits from crypto trading, with over 100 million digital asset holders in the country. Despite increasing regulatory oversight, the crypto industry continues to thrive in India.