UK Orders Apple To Break Encryption Worldwide While World Is Distracted
In a stunning escalation that confirms our worst fears, the UK government has finally shown its true hand on encryption — and it’s even worse than we predicted. According to a bombshell repor…
One of the people briefed on the situation, a consultant advising the United States on encryption matters, said Apple would be barred from warning its users that its most advanced encryption no longer provided full security. The person deemed it shocking that the U.K. government was demanding Apple’s help to spy on non-British users without their governments’ knowledge. A former White House security adviser confirmed the existence of the British order.
Bloody hell - I’m encouraged by this because it means that Apple’s encryption actually frustrates governments, but anyone using iCloud for storage or backups is pwned.
There’s a big difference between providing persistent access that allows for real-time surveillance and willingness to turn over stored user data when presented with a legal warrant. If they were truly equal, there would be no reason for governments to relentlessly press Apple’s E2EE standards.
So, right now Advanced Data Protection (ADP) shows the things that will be fully E2EE, which isn’t everything. Does this mean that, if enforced, that list would remain in place but not actually be E2EE or would be updated to show the items that are still E2EE (if any)? Guessing the former, which is scary.
I think it's great that the UK stepped on their dick and this made big news in the tech world. I don't know if it got any play in more mainstream news, but it highlighted the dangers of over-regulation.
I'm typically pro-regulation, btw. I'm not a libertarian fuck-nut. Privacy is also cool, is what I'm saying.
They should threaten to leave the UK in response.
They could - UK being out of the EU gives them far less power.
Apple puts every decision into profits. Does breaking encryption do more damage than the profits of the UK market makes? If yes, they leave.
If this was an EU thing, the numbers would be entirely different, and they couldn't just pull out. Now they might.
If that happens, I am getting rid of my iPad Pro. No thanks.
*If that happens and public knows it
Fair.