Re: Usual default for control
"it will lead to backlash because many use them."
It will only lead to a backlash if it is badly managed and it will be spun that it is for "OUR" protection and that you only have something to fear if you are a criminal or a terrorist.
the majority of "USERS" are not technical and will not realise that they are more at risk from "bad apples" if the encryption is changed to allow for security services to have access.
Looking at the users at large they don't seem to be worried about their security just look at the lack of general outcry against all the personal information harvested by corporations (Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft ETC ETC) yes there is minimal outcry from technically savvy individuals and groups but this is minimal compared to the user base for the systems and the regulators have not made a move so it will carry on and get more intrusive.
there have been attempts to launch hardened communications, email, chat, etc but when sold as privacy solutions they are less successful often because they are less user friendly or there are incompatibility issues due to the added layer of security.
services like whatsapp have become popular as the security is an invisible layer to the user it does not impact on their use of the system and it is only one app.
trying to secure email in a way not to confuse and impact on users due to the cross platform communication requirements would require the implementation of the security in ALL mail clients and browsers and the exchange of public keys in an invisible way to the user so the user does not need to do anything different if the mail they are sending is to an address that's using encryption or not but over time as people upgrade software all communication would become encrypted. (in this case i'm assuming the servers does not need to know the key as envelope data is still visible but if you wish to secure even the routing information it gets even more complicated)
Biting the hand that feeds IT
