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> Do you have evidence that Proton does not actually encrypt their emails?

It doesn't matter. Proton supplies the client software, so if they want (or are forced to by law enforcement), they can easily push an update that exfiltrates decrypted data back to their server.

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It seems rather harsh to brand them as pure snake oil based on a hypothetical situation that applies to basically every single piece of software and hardware ever invented, but fair enough.

I like to see it as an unsolved problem. Similar to when Diffie and Hellman revolutionized cryptography with the concept of public/private keys, I like to think that one day, a revolutionary proof will drop that demonstrates a true trustless privacy model where backdooring isn't even a remote possibility.

I suppose you always have to trust someone. (I'm not the one who branded them as snake oil, BTW)

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