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One part of the UK government is trying to force Apple to introduce back doors in cloud data encryption. The back doors are intended for UK government access to

One part of the UK government is trying to force Apple to introduce back doors in cloud data encryption. The back doors are intended for UK government access to user data. This undermines the whole feature. Meanwhile, other parts of the UK government have been encouraging at-risk people to use the same feature, including to hide information from hostile foreign governments. The UK government as a whole has apparently realized that this is embarrassing and taken down the advice.

dingdingdang 2y ago
Surely Apple's lawyers can use this information in court - the fact that the government itself is relying on, and recommending, citizens and (presumably) intelligence assets to use Apple's encryption technology abroad makes it VERY clear that outlawing said technology will systematically weaken ALL UK information infrastructure and make it 110% easier for foreign powers to exploit and sabotage the UK as whole. edit: removed political quip since, as evidenced by sub-comments, it too easily derails from the primary discussion point, excuse-moi.
- miohtama 2y ago
  Apple is not planning to fight for the UK citizens over encryption. It's a job for the democracy and voters.
  - Hizonner 2y ago
    Well, the rumor is that Apple has secretly appealed the order (which is officially secret) to whatever secret tribunal reviews such secret orders to create secret features giving secret government investigations access to various people's secrets. The Court of the Star Chamber, I think it's called. Which is at least Apple doing something vaguely like fighting. But, yeah, UK citizens might want to think hard about doing something about the situation themselves. For one thing, Apple will probably lose. And the US government isn't going to have Apple's back against the UK, either.
  - Maxious 2y ago
    Apple may be fighting for the UK citizens. We don't know, we're not allowed to know and Apple isn't allowed to tell us https://www.theverge.com/news/623977/apple-uk-encryption-order-appeal https://www.theverge.com/news/623977/apple-uk-encryption-ord...
- jen20 2y ago
  If you think Reform are likely to be in favour of anything other than the most authoritarian implantation of whatever law enforcement suggests they want, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention to who Reform are.
- danparsonson 2y ago
  > Do we really need Reform in power for common sense to flourish in the UK to any degree?! No. You've mistaken demagoguery for common sense I'm afraid. That's one of their favourite tricks though, so you could be forgiven for the mistake.
  - gessha 2y ago
    Reminds me of this sketch from A bit of Fry and Laurie: Hugh: And by demagoguery you mean ...? Stephen: I mean demagoguery, I mean highly-charged oratory, persuasive whipping up rhetoric… Transcript: https://abitoffryandlaurie.co.uk/sketches/language_conversation https://abitoffryandlaurie.co.uk/sketches/language_conversat... Video: https://youtu.be/3MWpHQQ-wQg https://youtu.be/3MWpHQQ-wQg
HPsquared 2y ago
Notice which side wins out.
treesknees 2y ago
It was not removed out of embarrassment, it's just wrong advice. The government can't tell people use this feature, because the feature no longer exists for them to use.

dingdingdang 2y ago

Surely Apple's lawyers can use this information in court - the fact that the government itself is relying on, and recommending, citizens and (presumably) intelligence assets to use Apple's encryption technology abroad makes it VERY clear that outlawing said technology will systematically weaken ALL UK information infrastructure and make it 110% easier for foreign powers to exploit and sabotage the UK as whole. edit: removed political quip since, as evidenced by sub-comments, it too easily derails from the primary discussion point, excuse-moi.

miohtama 2y ago
Apple is not planning to fight for the UK citizens over encryption. It's a job for the democracy and voters.
- Hizonner 2y ago
  Well, the rumor is that Apple has secretly appealed the order (which is officially secret) to whatever secret tribunal reviews such secret orders to create secret features giving secret government investigations access to various people's secrets. The Court of the Star Chamber, I think it's called. Which is at least Apple doing something vaguely like fighting. But, yeah, UK citizens might want to think hard about doing something about the situation themselves. For one thing, Apple will probably lose. And the US government isn't going to have Apple's back against the UK, either.
- Maxious 2y ago
  Apple may be fighting for the UK citizens. We don't know, we're not allowed to know and Apple isn't allowed to tell us https://www.theverge.com/news/623977/apple-uk-encryption-order-appeal https://www.theverge.com/news/623977/apple-uk-encryption-ord...
jen20 2y ago
If you think Reform are likely to be in favour of anything other than the most authoritarian implantation of whatever law enforcement suggests they want, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention to who Reform are.
danparsonson 2y ago
> Do we really need Reform in power for common sense to flourish in the UK to any degree?! No. You've mistaken demagoguery for common sense I'm afraid. That's one of their favourite tricks though, so you could be forgiven for the mistake.
- gessha 2y ago
  Reminds me of this sketch from A bit of Fry and Laurie: Hugh: And by demagoguery you mean ...? Stephen: I mean demagoguery, I mean highly-charged oratory, persuasive whipping up rhetoric… Transcript: https://abitoffryandlaurie.co.uk/sketches/language_conversation https://abitoffryandlaurie.co.uk/sketches/language_conversat... Video: https://youtu.be/3MWpHQQ-wQg https://youtu.be/3MWpHQQ-wQg

HPsquared 2y ago

Notice which side wins out.

treesknees 2y ago

It was not removed out of embarrassment, it's just wrong advice. The government can't tell people use this feature, because the feature no longer exists for them to use.