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    US politicians furious at UK demand for encrypted Apple data
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    US politicians furious at UK demand for encrypted Apple data

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    2. _HGCenty on

      > They urge her to give the UK an ultimatum: “Back down from this dangerous attack on US cybersecurity, or face serious consequences.”

      With friends like these, who needs Putin.

    4. HenrikBanjo on

      Commenters not bothering to read the article. What a surprise.

      It literally says in the summary that this demand applies to all Apple users. So the US is rightly hitting back.

      **Two US lawmakers have strongly condemned what they call the UK’s “dangerous” and “shortsighted” request to be able to access encrypted data stored by Apple users worldwide in its cloud service.**

    5. HamsterOutrageous454 on

      Regardless how you feel about US politics, the move from the UK government means Apple users here are more exposed to hackers, and government snooping. It’s totally unnecessary and a massive risk.

    6. notmichaelhampton on

      So moronic. We are going through a technological revolution, and have these people in charge who are technologically inept.

      Corporations get away with paying no tax because “they’ll leave” but they are happy to play hardball when it comes to our data.

      Such a bunch of fuckwits. Can you imagine when the UK suffers the world’s biggest data breach and everyone turns to look at Starmer. Tory mug.

    7. UrbanRedFox on

      How many people in the UK actually turned this on… technos or people with something to hide. Surely most people haven’t touched this ?

    8. bitch_fitching on

      While our judges are interpreting the ECHR in weird and wonderful ways to go against British interests, they consistently don’t think a right to privacy is an actual thing. This is like banning locks and keys, just in case the police want to gain entry into your home.

      Our politicians apparently made a law that can compel any company operating in the UK to disable the security of their customers around the world, in case the British police can get a warrant on suspicion of a crime having taken place. This theatre though, US doesn’t actually care about that because Apple and the US government will just laugh and say no. What they care about is the UK government banning Apple from operating in the UK.

      This was the Conservatives, they are incompetent and stupid. Worse is the House of Lords, their job is to stop this kind of thing. Labour need to right this wrong.

    9. badgersruse on

      So if <pick random country> insisted that they have the right to unencrypt the data of UK residents that would ok, HMG? Because that’s what this law does.

      Stupid is the polite word.

    10. Ok_Ear_3398 on

      If the UK does not back down Ms Gabbard should “reevaluate US-UK cybersecurity arrangements and programs as well as US intelligence sharing”, they suggest.

      So bye bye 5 Eyes then.

    11. B23vital on

      >Rather it would want to access it if there were a risk to national security – in other words, it would be targeting an individual, rather than using it for mass surveillance.

      Oh ye, because government agencies have never lied before, or illegally spied before. I hope apple refuse, i hope it goes tits up in the governments face, the only issue with this is people wont care until it actually affects them. Id imagine the majority of people dont even have ADP turned on (id suggest you do turn it on). But once they get here, they’l push for others and thats when the real snooping begins.

    12. Dizzy-Hotel-2626 on

      The suggestion that intelligence sharing between the US and UK should come to a halt is one I would endorse. It’s hardly a threat. It’s clear that any intelligence we share now is going to end up in the hands of Putin.

    13. RaymondBumcheese on

      It’s insane. It hides criminal activity but it also hides me from criminals. 

      Thanks for making my life worse, idiots. 

    14. MetalingusMikeII on

      And they should be. The nerve for the government of our tiny little island to think we should have access to the entire world of iCloud accounts.

      Seriously, we must have some serious IQ deficits within government to think other countries would find this acceptable. Way to fuck up the relationship with the entire fucking world, dumbass Home Office cabbage brains.

    15. Funny-Bit-4148 on

      If government really wants to snoop around there is dedicated team from Israel which provides software which can hack your phone even if you don’t touch your phone, forget clicking link.

      This is just directed toward common folks, they just want to snop in phone and devices of common people

    16. _Monsterguy_ on

      The only correct play by Apple was to simpliy say “no, thank you”.
      Then let the government decide if they want to make the selling and use of iPhones illegal.
      It’d never happen.

    18. mitchanium on

      An American company being represented by American politicians.

      Feels like this an obligatory outrage to be expected I guess

    20. Staar-69 on

      I’m shocked at Apple complying with this demand, in the past they’ve refused court orders to unlock an iPhone, now they’re basically giving the UK government access to every iPhone.

    21. No_Professional_rule on

      Hypocrites, the US government tried exactly this 10 years ago and they all backed it

    22. TokyoBaguette on

      **Lobbyists who bought US politicians** furious at UK demand for encrypted Apple data.

      Fixed

    23. pentiac on

      The usa already knows not to trust the uk government, Trump still sore about them sending 100 poloticians over to help Harris, hopefully apple will tell them to fuck off!

    24. TheLightStalker on

      The United Kingdom that protected the rights of people around the world (example: Hong Kong) is dead and buried.

      Now the government has nothing left to fight for they are turning on their own people. Privacy, energy security, NHS and Taxes. All fucked.

    25. Judge-Dredd_ on

      The UK Government can access a users data anytime it wants already – the only difference is that with full encryption it couldn’t do it without the users knowledge.

      It’s already an offence in the UK to fail to disclose passwords to private data on request to the police under (I think) the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000.

      Personallly I like the US Fourth Amendment which states that an individual has a right to be secure in their private papers (which nowadays includes electronic documents)

      A lot of people back up confidential and commercially sensitive data to Apple (and other companies) and it would be reassuring to know that the information we save cannot be read by malicious actors (and state actors without the users knowledge).

    26. FelisCantabrigiensis on

      The US and their snooping NSA and their no protections of personal data?

      They can shut up.

      The UK Government is entirely wrong about this, but the US government has no leg to stand on.

    29. asfish123 on

      While the government technically needs a warrant, that offers scant protection. The opaque laws around hate speech and terrorism in this country mean it doesn’t take much effort to get one, and the judiciary is more than happy to assist.

      I’d also imagine you wouldn’t even be informed if your data was accessed unless further action is followed. This would likely be covered up under the increasingly common excuse of “not informing to avoid prejudicing court proceedings.”

      Any bad actor with half an ounce of sense will already have their data encrypted, making the need for Apple to allow government snooping easier highly questionable.

      The final concern? Who trusts any politician of any party to handle this responsibly?

    30. Responsible-Form2207 on

      From what I understand, Apple will stop offering a service that requires the user to actually opt for it. If you want to keep your data secure you can still use other services. By default Apple holds all the encryption keys, this only affects a special service that allows users to bring their own keys.

    32. AlfonsoTheClown on

      Honestly quite right. What are this lot thinking? “Oh it’s to protect the children” yeah? I’m pretty sure everyone is actually in MORE danger after this move