Rui Carmo
The UK government’s mandate for Apple to create a global iCloud encryption backdoor is, frankly, a stretch even by bureaucratic standards. I mean, who does the UK think it is, the US?
That said, the sheer stupidity of trying to enforce backdoors on encryption is clearly still a thing, and is a stark reminder of how far we’ve come since the FBI’s failed attempt to force Apple to unlock an iPhone.
The Home Office’s statement that this is a “routine request” is laughable, and the possibility that this may lead Apple to withdraw iCloud services from the UK would be an interesting precedent. But what worries me is that, all of a sudden, Western states are starting to act like totalitarian regimes, and what that will eventually do to global digital privacy norms and EU use of US-based cloud services.
Update, Feb 21: Apple has just announced they will remove end-to-end iCloud encryption features in the UK in response to the UK government’s request, which is a clear indication of how far the UK has fallen in terms of digital privacy and security. This is a sad day for anyone who values their privacy and security online.