The UK government has demanded Apple gives it access to users’ encrypted data, according to several reports. The government has issued the iPhone-maker a Technical Capability Notice (TCN), the Washington Post and BBC are reporting, meaning it is required give government bodies blanket access to people’s encrypted data both inside the UK and abroad. Data […]
The UK government has demanded Apple gives it access to users’ encrypted data, according to several reports.
The government has issued the iPhone-maker a Technical Capability Notice (TCN), the Washington Post and BBC are reporting, meaning it is required give government bodies blanket access to people’s encrypted data both inside the UK and abroad.
Data stored on iCloud – Apple’s Cloud service – is encrypted at the device level, meaning even the tech giant itself cannot access the unencrypted data without the user granting access.
The order, which was served by the Home Office under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), according to the BBC, cannot be made public, and both Apple and the government have refused to comment on it.
However, this isn’t the first battle between the Cupertino-based firm and governments worldwide, including the UK. Apple has previously said it would pull encryption services like Advanced Data Protection from the UK market rather than comply with such government demands.
Privacy campaigners fear the move from the UK could open a “Pandora’s Box” for data privacy.
Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point Software, warned that forcing Apple or any company to create a backdoor “sets a dangerous global precedent” that could be exploited by authoritarian regimes, cybercriminals, and hostile states.
He emphasised that the Investigatory Powers Act extends beyond the UK, making its impact worldwide.
Apple previously locked horns with the US government over encrypted data. In 2016, the tech giant resisted a court order to allow US officials to access the iPhone of a shooter. though ultimately investigators dropped the case after gaining access to the device through other means.
Governments argue that encryption can be used to protect criminal behaviour, but Apple says that privacy for its customers is at the heart of all its products and services.
Erich Kron, security awareness advocate at KnowBe4, warned that the government’s request poses a “scary proposition for anyone concerned about their personal privacy.”
He noted that while encryption is often seen as a challenge for law enforcement, it remains a vital tool for individuals and organisations to protect against bad actors.
Kron argued that government demands like this could make people feel their personal freedoms are being infringed upon.
He also pointed out that this request is just one piece of a larger issue, as many platforms, like WhatsApp and Signal, already use end-to-end encryption, meaning the government “may not gain much by potentially violating rights.
