Australian Email Service FastMail Says It is Losing Customers and Facing Calls To Move Operations Outside of the Country Over Local Anti-Encryption Laws

An anonymous reader shares a report: Email provider FastMail says it has lost customers and faces 'regular' requests to shift its operations outside Australia following the passage of anti-encryption laws. The Victorian company, which offers ad-free email services to users in 150 countries, told a senate committee that the now-passed laws were starting to bite.

'The way in which [the laws] were introduced, debated, and ultimately passed... creates a perception that Australia has changed - that we are no longer a country which respects the right to privacy,' FastMail CEO Bron Gondwana said. 'We have already seen an impact on our business caused by this perception. Our particular service is not materially affected as we already respond to warrants under the
Telecommunications Act.' 'Still, we have seen existing customers leave, and potential customers go elsewhere, citing this bill as the reason for their choice. We are [also] regularly being asked by customers if we plan to move.'

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