Apple to take legal action against British Government over backdoor request

LovabledanielsMarch 5, 202566 Views

Apple is now reportedly taking the British Government to court
Move comes after the UK Government reportedly asked Apple to build an encryption key
Apple refused, and disabled its encryption service for UK users

The UK Government’s privacy row with Apple over an alleged backdoor request continues, with reports claiming the company appealed to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent court that can investigate claims made against the Security Service.

The UK Government had reportedly asked Apple to build a master key for law enforcement agencies in its end-to-end encryption (E2EE) service, Advanced Data Protection (ADP) – however Apple refused, and pulled ADP altogether.

This is believed to be the first legal challenge to any provisions in the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act allowing the break of encryptions. The tribunal will look into the legality of the UK government’s request, and whether or not it can be overruled.

Privacy concerns

The request was condemned by both privacy groups and also came as a surprise to the American government, who called the request a “clear and egregious violation of American’s privacy and civil liberties”, after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard shared “grave concern” over the implications of the request.

The case could be heard this month, but as of yet, it’s not clear if there will be any public disclosure of the hearing – and it’s likely the UK Government will argue that the case be restricted due to national security concerns.

The E2EE, built by Apple, means the photos, messages, and other data of the users who chose to enable the service is protected, and cannot be accessed by anyone – even Apple.

Some campaigners have previously argued in favor of the backdoor for the UK Government, so that law enforcement agencies have access to potentially harmful materials or evidence of abuse material – but many are concerned that the creation of a ‘master key’ brings a risk of that key falling into the wrong hands.

Weekly update

A new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 leak may have revealed the foldable phone’s dimensions and super-thin bezels

Physical buttons are finally making a comeback in cars, thanks to new safety guidelines – but I’m bracing myself for more irritating user experiences

UK government to replace SMS logins with secure passkeys in major digital identity overhaul across GOV.UK services

Weekly Newsletter

Apple to take legal action against British Government over backdoor request

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Explore more

Physical buttons are finally making a comeback in cars, thanks to new safety guidelines – but I’m bracing myself for more irritating user experiences

UK government to replace SMS logins with secure passkeys in major digital identity overhaul across GOV.UK services

Qatar leads Syria search for bodies of US hostages killed by ISIL: Report | Investigation News

Iraq look to former Australia coach Arnold to boost 2026 World Cup hopes | Football News

I’d jump at the chance to swap my 24-inch LCD monitor for this 25-inch color E Ink alternative – if only I could afford it

Hackers found a sneaky new way to steal your login even when it’s encrypted – here’s how they’re pulling it off

AI is making phishing emails dangerously convincing with better spelling, grammar and formatting

AI-driven layoffs accelerate as companies push humans aside in favor of automation

Get to Know Us

Let's keep in touch