Apple Fights UK's Demand for iCloud Data Backdoor

Apple today filed a legal complaint with the UK's Investigatory Powers Tribunal in an attempt to quash the UK government's demand for backdoor access to encrypted data, reports Financial Times.

iCloud Versus UK Key Feature
Earlier this year, the UK government ordered Apple to give it secret access to encrypted user data uploaded to iCloud worldwide, through the creation of a backdoor. The UK used its Investigatory Powers Act to justify the demand, but Apple has not complied.

Instead, Apple removed Advanced Data Protection from the UK so that it would not have to provide the government with access to encrypted data. Advanced Data Protection is designed to provide end-to-end encryption to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users for data stored in ‌iCloud‌.

Apple will undoubtedly fight the UK every step of the way in order to protect user privacy, and the legal challenge that the company filed today could be heard as soon as this month. Apple is not able to discuss the order made by the UK in public due to the terms of the law, so the court case could be heard without public notice.

Apple previously made it clear that it would pull ‌iCloud‌ features from the UK rather than compromise its user security, and while that only extends to Advanced Data Protection right now, it could lead to key features like FaceTime and iMessage being removed in the country. The UK wants backdoor access to ‌iCloud‌ data to fight terrorism and investigate child sex abuse.

Apple fights vehemently against calls for backdoor access to user data, which we saw in 2016 when the U.S. government demanded that Apple unlock the ‌iPhone‌ of a shooter in San Bernardino, California. That led to a long legal battle that did not see Apple compromise its security. The U.S. has lately reversed course on encryption, and has been promoting end-to-end encryption for mobile devices to protect against foreign cyber campaigns.

The U.S. government is now looking into whether the UK's demand has violated the CLOUD act, which keeps the UK from asking for data from U.S. citizens, and vice versa.

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Top Rated Comments

alexhardaker Avatar
18 weeks ago

Dear UK, Keep your Socialist corrupt hands off of our data. - We the People.
Please refrain from using words you do not understand.

This government is not socialist in any sense of the word. In case you didn’t realise, the dominant economic system across most of the world is neoliberalism. This has been the case since the late 1970s and is still the case today. This is a capitalist system.

Socialism isn’t about “when the government does things”. Broadly speaking, it’s about worker ownership of the means of production. This can come in many forms, some with governments and some without (anarchism).

Socialism has nothing to do with this.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
randomgeeza Avatar
18 weeks ago
Good. I have ADP turned on and I am in the UK. I want my data protected and encrypted and I should be allowed to do that. It is my privacy, and it needs to be defended.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
18 weeks ago
Way to go Apple!
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
370zulu Avatar
18 weeks ago
Say what you want about Apple, but Microsoft and Google would have opened the door and invited them in for tea while serving up data on everyone.

Another reason I will keep buying Apple products.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kcirtap00 Avatar
18 weeks ago

After the previous article on ADP, I asked around. No one was using it. MR should run a poll.
How much its being used isn't really part of the argument.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cirillo Gherardo Avatar
18 weeks ago
All I have to say is:

LMAO!!!!!

I told you not to let a governing body dictate what Apple could do, with something as incredibly stupid and insignificant as charging cable. All that does is pave the way for the next thing. And the next. And the next. This proves itself over and over again in all kinds of spaces with government. This is no surprise at all. They are looking at the victories, and thinking they push for one. They might be right.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)