Posted on 02/09/2025 8:11:55 AM PST by SunkenCiv
The UK government has demanded that Apple creates a backdoor in its encrypted cloud service, in a confrontation that challenges the US tech firm's avowed stance on protecting user privacy.
The Washington Post reported on Friday that the Home Office had issued a "technical capability notice" under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), which requires companies to assist law enforcement in providing evidence.
The demand, issued last month, relates to Apple's Advanced Data Protection (ADP) service, which heavily encrypts personal data uploaded and stored remotely in Apple's cloud servers, according to the Post, which said this was a "blanket" request that applied to any Apple user worldwide. The ADP service uses end-to-end encryption, a form of security that means only the account holder can decrypt the files and no one else can – including Apple...
The submission also indicates that Apple would refuse to cooperate with a request, saying the company would "never build a backdoor" and would rather withdraw "critical safety features" from the UK market.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
John Bull can bite me.
Keir needs to find out if Apple users are saying mean things about him so he can prosecute them too.
I've never been inclined to use cloud.
The present woke, leftist, multi-decade UK deep-state is NOT our friend.
It’s very important governments have that power — in order to fight fascism.
A “backdoor” would mean that the government has access to all of your information. That would make the government fascist and totalitarian.
Demanded? Methinks Apple will tell them to go pound sand.
For at least the last 200 years, the British government has been a retrograde force in the cause of freedom. They don’t have a constitution, they don’t have freedom of speech, they don’t have equality before the law. In the entire apparatus of American spying was created in their image.
I’m thinking of dumping my old Google Android phone in favor of an Apple phone so that I can get an excellent modern camera and Apple’ somewhat lighter spying footprint.
Anyone have thought on whether and how you can help ensure Apple spies less than Google?
Part of the concerted EU effort to get rid of AAPL on the continent and in the UK.
Probably paid for by USAID.
I gather that the UK doesn’t have a constitutional guarantee against illegal search and seizure, like in the U.S. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be demanding access to people’s privacy on the phones or anywhere. If the UK can demand access, then, they could demand the same access to people’s homes.
I hear that Enemies of the State (people who want to control immigration) often use Apple phones.
The CCP has thousands of EU (and US for that matter) bureaucrats and politicians on the take.
One of the Five Eyes countries, if Britain gets a back door, all get a back door...
I really like how you put that. But there will be some who don’t get it.
Notice there’s no mention of the UK government and Microsoft’s cloud services. The reason should be obvious.
The British are famous for their use of back doors, public schools, the Royal Navy, etc.
If I was engaged in some illegal activity, I’d not trust any third party to secure my communications.
I have to assume that our more competent criminals and terrorists are doing the same.
If Apple has implemented it’s encryption correctly, it is impossible for them to decrypt the info on their servers.
If they have not, and they do provide the decrypts, the most important data will still be encrypted.
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