President Trump is reportedly finalizing an executive order that would force major tech firms to embed law-enforcement backdoors into consumer-grade encryption tools. The draft would require companies to provide decryption keys to authorized agencies on demand, eroding the safeguards that protect private messages and stored data. It also calls for unprecedented cross-agency data sharing, mandating “unfettered access” to unclassified records held by state and local programs.
Privacy experts warn this could weaken online security and prompt a renewed surge in VPN use, much like the spike seen after the recent TikTok ban.
Under the proposed draft, companies would have to make decryption keys available to authorized agencies upon request, effectively undermining the safeguards that protect private messages and stored data. By carving out a hidden entry point in encryption protocols, this measure would turn once‐impenetrable services into open gateways - vulnerable not only to authorized investigators but also to any malicious actor who discovers or exploits the same backdoor.
Critics warn that such a structural weakness undermines trust in digital platforms, exposing everything from personal messages and financial records to corporate secrets, and leaves ordinary users at the mercy of both state‐level surveillance and sophisticated cybercriminals.
When TikTok access was restricted earlier this year, Google Trends recorded a 1500% surge in U.S. searches for “VPN”, illustrating how quickly Americans turn to VPNs when digital rights are threatened. Despite rumors to the contrary, new legislation would not outlaw VPNs in fact, they remain the most reliable way to bypass censorship, preserve personal anonymity, and regain access to blocked services. A growing movement of “digital expats” now even uses VPNs to migrate their online lives to overseas platforms for greater privacy.
1. Choose a no-logs VPN
Select a VPN that operates under a privacy-friendly jurisdiction and undergoes independent audits to prove it keeps no records of your traffic or connections.
2. Enable the Kill Switch feature
Turn on the Kill Switch to automatically halt all internet traffic if your VPN connection drops, preventing any accidental data exposure.
3. Layer your defenses
Combine your VPN with Tor or other encrypted tools to create multiple barriers against surveillance
4. Rotate server locations
Switching between different VPN endpoints helps obfuscate your traffic patterns and complicates bulk data-collection efforts
5. Start risk-free with a free trial and crypto payments
Test VPN services like TrustZone for free with its 3-day trial, then pay anonymously via cryptocurrency (and even get discounts) to keep your identity private
Given President Trump’s track record of expanding government data-sharing mandates and jawboning tech companies on encryption, the urgency to secure online communications has never been greater. For Americans intent on preserving their digital privacy and unfettered access to information, adopting a robust VPN strategy is fast becoming non-negotiable.
