UK Government undermines security with demands for Apple users encrypted data

Open Rights Group has responded to a Washington Post article that claims the UK has demanded that Apple build a backdoor to retrieve content that any Apple user has uploaded to the cloud.

James Baker, Platform Power Programme Manager at Open Rights Group said:

“In doing this the government are attempting to undermine the security of millions of users which would expose them to higher risks of cybercrime. They are failing in their primary duty to protect British citizens.

“The government want to be able to access anything and everything, anywhere, any time. Their ambition to undermine basic security is frightening, unaccountable and would make everyone less safe. WhatsApp and other services will be next in their sights.

“They seek to do this in secret, with minimal accountability, and potentially global impacts. It is straightforward bullying.”

War on Encryption

Apple are one of a number of companies that could be subjected to similar orders. Similar orders are expected for WhatsApp and other widely used encrypted messaging tools.

Typically, the government has sought to prevent services such as Facebook from adding encryption to messaging services.

Powers in the Investigatory Powers Act were widened last year to prevent companies from rolling out encryption and to force companies to seek approval for technology updates that would make data access harder. These orders do not require judicial authorisation.

These powers were put in place after Apple introduced optional encryption in Advance Data Protection for UK citizens, and after the government had sought to stop Meta from expanding their message encryption. In Meta’s case, these services have been mostly delayed, but not withdrawn entirely.