Law Apple bends over for the UK Government - Will allow backdoor access to secured data

[Scerpi]

Seriously... This is fairly disturbing that Apple would roll over like this.

There's like zero individual rights left in the UK. You're basically bitches who must behave as told. No back talk, no complaining...

Lol... Remember this asshole?

Apple drops encryption feature for UK users after government reportedly demanded backdoor access​

Apple drops encryption feature for UK users after government reportedly demanded backdoor access

Apple says it will stop offering an advanced data security option for British users after the government reportedly demanded that the company provide backdoor access for any data those users have stored in the cloud

abcnews.go.com

LONDON -- Apple said Friday it will stop offering an advanced data security option for British users after the government reportedly demanded that the company provide backdoor access for any data those users have stored in the cloud.

The iPhone maker said its Advanced Data Protection encryption feature is no longer available for new users in the United Kingdom and will eventually be disabled for existing users.

Advanced Data Protection, which Apple started rolling out at the end of 2022, is an opt-in feature that protects iCloud files, photos, notes and other data with end-to-end encryption when they're stored in the cloud.

British security officials demanded in a secret order that the U.S. tech giant create so-called backdoor access so that they could view fully encrypted material, The Washington Post reported earlier this month, citing anonymous sources.

Apple “can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection” in the U.K., the company said in a statement.

“We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by ADP will not be available to our customers in the UK given the continuing rise of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy,” Apple said, without referring to the government demand.

The Washington Post report said the British government served Apple with what's known as a “technical capability notice" ordering it to provide the access under a sweeping law called the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which has been dubbed the snoopers' charter.

The law officially gives British spies the ability to hack into devices and harvest vast amounts of bulk online data, much of it from outside the U.K. It contains provisions to compel companies to remove encryption to allow for electronic eavesdropping, while making it a criminal offense to reveal that the government has issued such demands.

“We do not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any such notices," the U.K. Home Office said in a brief statement.

 

[A Very Serious Cat]

I'm sure this will be used to catch people like the southport attacker and not to punish people for mean jokes... oh wait the southport attacker was reported more than once by people including his own father and nothing was done...


Good thing I'm leaving in a few months it seems like a good time to. Just hope they don't try to draft me for Ukraine before then

 

[Croo67]

Just 7 months ago Starmer’s police chief threatened to extradite and jail Americans for mocking Britain’s open borders online.

The UK asked for Apple to implement this across the world, Apple declined - for now.

President Trump should be stopping this.

 

[SandisLL]

I'm sure this will be used to catch people like the southport attacker and not to punish people for mean jokes... oh wait the southport attacker was reported more than once by people including his own father and nothing was done...


Good thing I'm leaving in a few months it seems like a good time to. Just hope they don't try to draft me for Ukraine before then

Nope. If they want they might send you to Ukraine if you are U.K citizen living in U.K. For peaceful mission. Mobilize you ...


If to be serious : all stuff you are talking in phone conversation, SMS and other kind of communications via networks might be tracked and analyzed.
Ofc with backdoors it is faster and cheaper....

 

[White Whale]

The left hates privacy and free speech.

 

[Otto!]

President Trump should be stopping this.

Tariffs on apples?

 

[avenue94]

The left hates privacy and free speech.

Since when is the left Apple or police? The FBI has also repeatedly pressured tech companies for backdoors. You can oppose these kind of backdoors and also note that most European democracies have a different concept of free speech than the good ol USA.

Or the irony that the EU protects data privacy much better than the US overall.

 

[Sage NorthGOAT]

Thats messed up. Hopefully people push back and boycott apple stuff. Its not like there arent a bunch of cheaper equivalents out there.

I guess that sort of thing affects some of the websites as well though. Like posting from an android might not guarantee that your identity is safe?

 

[CantCucktheTuck]

JD Vance was right

 

[NoSmilez]

The title of the thread is totally wrong? Apple is pulling the security feature for UK instead of allowing backdoor access?

OP did not read the article?

 

[Madmick]

The title of the thread is totally wrong? Apple is pulling the security feature for UK instead of allowing backdoor access?

OP did not read the article?

What are you talking about? They disabled the end-to-end encryption feature. There is no encryption on the back end. That's the backdoor for UK government spies.

The law officially gives British spies the ability to hack into devices and harvest vast amounts of bulk online data, much of it from outside the U.K. It contains provisions to compel companies to remove encryption to allow for electronic eavesdropping, while making it a criminal offense to reveal that the government has issued such demands.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

Leftism doesn't survive without stalinism.
The UK is an absolute chinese shithole for this.

 

[syct23]

Leftism doesn't survive without stalinism.
The UK is an absolute chinese shithole for this.

Good thing their stuck on an Island!

 

[Croo67]

The UK's request was for a worldwide backdoor, not just for UK users.

Presumably all the other tech companies have been asked for the same access. Who's to say they haven't obliged with both the request and command not to reveal that they've been asked to do it?

This is potentially impacting American users too, and they'll have no idea.

 

[SandisLL]

Tariffs on apples?

Sure. They use plastic etc manufactured in China!

 

[NoSmilez]

What are you talking about? They disabled the end-to-end encryption feature. There is no encryption on the back end. That's the backdoor for UK government spies.

That’s not bending over for the UK government? They didn’t build a back door for them. They removed the security and what the government does is on them. That isn’t complying with the UK government’s demand.

 

[CantCucktheTuck]

That’s not bending over for the UK government? They didn’t build a back door for them. They removed it and what the government does it on them. That isn’t complying with the UK government’s demand.

my understanding is that they removed the encryption in order to comply with the UK governments desire to access Apple users data.

 

[Captain Tenneal]

I'm sorry Brit bros, sincerely

 

[NoSmilez]

my understanding is that they removed the encryption in order to comply with the UK governments desire to access Apple users data.

It does technically comply but it’s also a middle finger. They aren’t building a back door instead nobody in the UK gets end to end security for their cloud.

Apple wouldn’t build a back door for the UK government. Some bad actors will eventually find a way to exploit it worldwide. That is why I was confused about the title regarding Apple bending over for the UK government.

 

[Madmick]

That’s not bending over for the UK government? They didn’t build a back door for them. They removed the security and what the government does is on them. That isn’t complying with the UK government’s demand.

Ironically it was you who did not comprehend the thrust of the article. It's this:

my understanding is that they removed the encryption in order to comply with the UK governments desire to access Apple users data.

You can see that if you read the linked WaPo story that originally broke the UK request.

The British government’s undisclosed order, issued last month, requires blanket capability to view fully encrypted material, not merely assistance in cracking a specific account, and has no known precedent in major democracies. Its application would mark a significant defeat for tech companies in their decades-long battle to avoid being wielded as government tools against their users, the people said, speaking under the condition of anonymity to discuss legally and politically sensitive issues.

Rather than break the security promises it made to its users everywhere, Apple is likely to stop offering encrypted storage in the U.K., the people said. Yet that concession would not fulfill the U.K. demand for backdoor access to the service in other countries, including the United States.

In other words, the UK demanded access to all Apple accounts by requesting the backend of end-to-end encryption be removed. Apple is acquiescing by allowing them that backdoor access to UK users, only.