As the Labour leftist Government of Keir Starmer continues to establish a dystopia in the United Kingdom, it now arises that Apple is removing the most advanced encrypted security feature for cloud data in the UK.
This is a shocking turn of events and also a public rebuke of Starmer’s regime’s demands, after it ordered the company to build a ‘backdoor’ for accessing user data.
Bloomberg reported:
“The company said Friday that Advanced Data Protection, an optional feature that adds end-to-end encryption to a wide assortment of user data, is no longer available in the UK for new users. The technology had provided an extra layer of security to iCloud data storage, device backups, web bookmarks, voice memos, notes, photos, reminders and text message backups.
‘We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by ADP will not be available to our customers in the UK given the continuing rise of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy’, the company said in a statement. “ADP protects iCloud data with end-to-end encryption, which means the data can only be decrypted by the user who owns it, and only on their trusted devices.”
The media has reported that the UK government ordered Apple to build a backdoor into Global customer data.
“Without ADP, the UK government is poised to have an easier time requesting user data — a potentially alarming scenario for customers in the country. The move also threatens to set a precedent that encourages other nations to push Apple to reduce security.”
Apple has called a UK parliament bill seeking access to user data an ‘unprecedented overreach by the government.’
“The move to pull its encryption feature — rather than complying and building a backdoor — is a clear rebuke of the government’s order. ‘As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will’, Apple said Friday.
‘Enhancing the security of cloud storage with end-to-end encryption is more urgent than ever before’ the company said, adding that it ‘remains committed to offering our users the highest level of security for their personal data and are hopeful that we will be able to do so in the future in the United Kingdom’.”
Speculation is that Apple could pull its services from the UK altogether in light of the order.
Meanwhile, US House members Ron Wyden and Andy Biggs strongly condemned what they call the UK’s ‘dangerous’ and “shortsighted” request for access to encrypted data stored by Apple users worldwide in its cloud service.
BBC reported:
“Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Andy Biggs have written to national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard saying the demand threatens the privacy and security of the US.
They urge her to give the UK an ultimatum: ‘Back down from this dangerous attack on US cybersecurity, or face serious consequences’.
‘While the UK has been a trusted ally, the US government must not permit what is effectively a foreign cyberattack waged through political means’, the US politicians wrote.
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.”
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