We advance society by advancing freedom

At Proton, our social mission is at the heart of all we do. We believe in building an internet that works for people and not just for profit.

Proton makes a social impact by improving access to privacy

Proton provides free and open-source technology to millions of people and organizations to expand access to privacy, security, and freedom online.

Learn about open source

Without privacy, there can be no freedom of speech, and without freedom of speech, there can be no democracy. Together with millions of Proton users from around the world, we are working to build a better internet and society.

Direct action for a better world

Each year, we work with the Proton user community to identify and fund important projects that are helping to build the kind of world we want to live in. We have distributed over $1,000,000 in direct financial grants. Some of the organizations we have supported are listed below.

And many more...

Community spotlight

Violence, intimidation, and exile from Belarus

In 2018 we financed Charter’97, the most popular independent news outlet in Belarus. Editor-in-chief (and Proton user) Natalya Radina has been on the front lines of Belarus's fight for freedom.

Read Natalya’s story

<h5>For journalists working in war zones or under repressive governments, digital security and privacy can be the difference between life and death </h5>

For journalists working in war zones or under repressive governments, digital security and privacy can be the difference between life and death

In 2019, we supported Reporters Without Borders’ digital security training program for journalists in the field. Together, we funded scholarships for journalists from conflict zones and repressive regimes. Reporters Without Borders uses Proton Mail for secure communications.

Learn more

Defending freedom through technology

Proton powers newsrooms and human rights organizations around the world. In addition to securing the data and communications of some of the world's largest international organizations, we also protect thousands of individual journalists and activists in the field.

Keeping your contacts safe

After working with journalists in the field, we recognized their need for a better way to protect their sources. As a result, we developed the world’s first end-to-end encrypted contacts manager.

Preventing advanced attacks

Powerful adversaries, such as governments, have sophisticated tools for stealing data or breaking into devices. Proton Mail's advanced features like Address Verification offer protection against encryption key tampering, while technologies like AppKey Protection System help keep data secure even if a device is physically stolen.

Discover Proton Mail security

Defending against censorship

Services like Proton VPN help provide free and uncensored internet to millions of people living under authoritarian regimes worldwide. Whether it’s Belarus, Russia, Turkey, Iran, or countless other places around the world, we open the internet, help shed light on the truth, and provide freedom during the darkest times.

Overcome censorship with Proton VPN

Free and open-source software

We support tens of millions of free Proton accounts in order to provide secure internet services to all, irrespective of one’s ability to pay. Our code and software libraries are open source and freely available, powering thousands of apps around the world that help defend freedom. Simply put, we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right for all.

Learn more about open source

Protecting data under the most challenging circumstances has directly led to innovations that benefit all Proton users

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Standing with our community no matter what

During the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, many tech companies, including Apple, turned their backs on the demonstrators in order to preserve access to the Chinese market. Proton Mail stepped in and provided free encrypted email services to activists working on the ground.

Proton supported free speech in Hong Kong when others would not

Hong Kong activist Nathan Law

Former Hong Kong legislator and Proton user Nathan Law describes how freedom and privacy are under attack in Hong Kong. In 2020, with the help of the Proton community, we raised $100,000 for humanitarian relief for Hong Kong activists who were violently suppressed.

Advocacy for greater privacy

Access to privacy often depends upon where you live. At Proton, we are committed to defending and promoting the right to privacy around the world.

We actively support policy solutions that advance privacy globally

Policy advocacy

Through our policy, government affairs, and legal team in Brussels and Geneva, we provide testimony and thought leadership to advance regulatory and legislative solutions that protect privacy and fair competition, both of which are essential to democracy. We participate in Swiss and EU discussions, and our work has been cited in US Congressional reports. We’re also an active participant at the United Nations’ Internet Governance Forum.

Education and training

We believe that knowledge is power. Whether it's publishing articles, sharing knowledge through the Proton community, or holding training sessions, we work continually to empower individuals and businesses worldwide. Some examples of our work in this area include:

Email encryption: A helmet for cyberspace

At the Second Asian Investigative Journalism Conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, we organized a training session to educate investigative journalists on how to properly use email encryption to protect their communication privacy while working under repressive governments.

GDPR.EU: The definitive GDPR guide

With the support of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union, Proton is the publisher and maintainer of GDPR.EU, the definitive guide to GDPR compliance that has become an invaluable tool for businesses large and small.

Take action

We can’t accomplish our mission without you. There are many ways to get involved with Proton.

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