UK government forces backdoor in Apple encryption: this is BAD

[Retro]

The UK government has forced Apple to remove Advanced Data Protection, or in other words, allow a backdoor to your encrypted data stored in iCloud. This is bad for lots of reasons, like privacy, gives hackers / bad actors a way into your data and is a first step on the road to a totalitarian government, not too dissimilar with what's happened in America with Trump whom I don't doubt will demand the same thing in time. And of course, the pretexts are things like "protecting" against terrorism and "protecting" the children to justify why they're doing this. However, the real reason is control of people.

Expect this to now spread like wildfire across the world, especially totalitarian regimes and across all the big companies like Microsoft, Google, etc. This is the start of your private data no longer being safe from prying eyes. You know, I do find it curious how this has only been reported on after Apple pulled ADP. Almost like they didn't want people to rush to enable it beforehand, hmmm... Mind you, it will also be removed from people who've already enabled it, at a later date, so they're not safe either.

This is what one sees if they try to enable it now:

Apple is taking the unprecedented step of removing its highest level data security tool from customers in the UK, after the government demanded access to user data.

Advanced Data Protection, external (ADP) means only account holders can view items such as photos or documents they have stored online through a process known as end-to-end encryption.

But earlier this month the UK government asked for the right to see the data, which currently not even Apple can access.

Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

Customers' photos and documents stored online will no longer be protected by end-to-end encryption.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Mars]

Bad news, yes, it does smell rotten, smells of a totalitarian regime, which this government is forging ahead with at full tilt.
True that the tories tried it as well, but were not as insistent, so people still had their protection.

 

[Tiffany]

I'm sorry to hear that the UK government has pressured Apple to remove the Apple Advanced Data Protection feature. I really didn't think Apple would ever cave if a government persisted on this type of access. Yeah, I can see this having a domino effect on other providers and services for access at will.

 

[Geffers]

The UK government has forced Apple to remove Advanced Data Protection, or in other words, allow a backdoor to your encrypted data stored in iCloud. This is bad for lots of reasons, like privacy, gives hackers / bad actors a way into your data and is a first step on the road to a totalitarian government, not too dissimilar with what's happened in America with Trump whom I don't doubt will demand the same thing in time. And of course, the pretexts are things like "protecting" against terrorism and "protecting" the children to justify why they're doing this. However, the real reason is control of people.

You say not too dissimilar to US with Trump He's only been in position 4 weeks so hasn't (to the best of my knowledge) invoked any similar restrictions. As for assuming he will demand similar in the future, I'd doubt it but whilst Trump is a strong character there are a lot of others applying pressure of their own opinions, eg Pharma, Food, Military and, of course, the security services.

 

[Geffers]

I'm sorry to hear that the UK government has pressured Apple to remove the Apple Advanced Data Protection feature. I really didn't think Apple would ever cave if a government persisted on this type of access. Yeah, I can see this having a domino effect on other providers and services for access at will.

We'll end up using pencil and paper again

The filofax will make a comeback.

 

[Retro]

You say not too dissimilar to US with Trump He's only been in position 4 weeks so hasn't (to the best of my knowledge) invoked any similar restrictions. As for assuming he will demand similar in the future, I'd doubt it but whilst Trump is a strong character there are a lot of others applying pressure of their own opinions, eg Pharma, Food, Military and, of course, the security services.

He's already been cutting people's benefits and a whole host of other bad things. If you'd actually watched the video that @Astro What had posted then you'd be better informed about what he's up to.

Also, give him time, I expect that he'll get round to something like this in time.

 

[Astro What]

He's only been in position 4 weeks so hasn't (to the best of my knowledge) invoked any similar restrictions. As for assuming he will demand similar in the future, I'd doubt it but whilst Trump is a strong character there are a lot of others applying pressure of their own opinions, eg Pharma, Food, Military and, of course, the security services.

You may want to step outside of that right-wing echo chamber and review news from other sources.
He (actually, President Musk has) cut a lot of resources that are already affecting the public at large, including many of his constituents.

 

[Tiffany]

We'll end up using pencil and paper again

The filofax will make a comeback.

....or maybe the rolodex will be resurrected.

 

[live627]

Expect this to now spread like wildfire across the world, especially totalitarian regimes and across all the big companies like Microsoft, Google, etc. This is the start of your private data no longer being safe from prying eyes

Too late. Google already has access to photos and have banned people for child porn over parents taking photos for the doctor. I guess now dedicated point-and-shoot cameras have a renewed purpose. The irony. Big tech is making old physical gadgets worthwhile again.

 

[Retro]

@live627 why am I not surprised this is happening?

 

[Geffers]

Apparently you can change iPhone region to US and keep encryption, I am not an Apple user so not sure if this works or not but worth a try.

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[Crims]

I can't say I'm happy with the state of affairs of modern internet use, it's practically asking us to not use Twitter etc. That being said, these polices arguably aiming for the devils advocate too.

 

[Retro]

Nice find, Geffers.

 

[Geffers]

Nice find, Geffers.

Does it work though?

 

[Astro What]

It may for a short while.. until they start using cell tower geo-location.

 

[Retro]

Does it work though?

Not tried it and am not gonna bother.

I find it suspicious how Apple caved so easily given their previous well publicised resistance and how it wasn't reported until after the restriction had gone in.

 

[Astro What]

Not tried it and am not gonna bother.

I find it suspicious how Apple caved so easily given their previous well publicised resistance and how it wasn't reported until after the restriction had gone in.

They would have lost the market for their product if they refused to put a back door in. I would MUCH rather see them doing what they have done than placing a backdoor in that any could use.
If the users in the impacted area don't like it, they usually have the power of that by using their voice and their votes.

 

[Retro]

Yes, that's likely what would have happened and perhaps the lesser of two evils in how they've done it.

Re the voting, unfortunately here in the UK, it's not that different to America in that however much you hate one side, the other is totally unacceptable. The tories were a shitshow who are owned and operated by Russia as far as I can see (just Google tories and Russian money and influence, Boris Johnson in particular) so had to be pushed out. Putting them back in wouldn't solve anything and certainly not lift this restriction which they instigated in the first place years ago with this new law regarding computer use, forget the name now, with which they're forcing Apple to do their bidding with.

 

[Astro What]

The tories were a shitshow who are owned and operated by Russia as far as I can see (just Google tories and Russian money and influence, Boris Johnson in particular) so had to be pushed out.

That's why you try to get better people to run. Sometimes it works. It is also why there should be term limits.

 

[Retro]

Well yeah, the quality of the candidates is everything isn't it? Totally agree with term limits as otherwise it become too much like a dictatorship and the corruption skyrockets which we've seen here all too often. Funny how Trump is gagging for a third term, isn't it?

 

[Geffers]

Too late. Google already has access to photos and have banned people for child porn over parents taking photos for the doctor. I guess now dedicated point-and-shoot cameras have a renewed purpose. The irony. Big tech is making old physical gadgets worthwhile again.

Unintended consequences, always an issue when laws introduced for seemingly good reasons.

 

[Geffers]

It may for a short while.. until they start using cell tower geo-location.

When I was in US recently I tried to access UK TV streaming services via VPN - one station worked fine, the other gave some error regarding my region.

 

[Geffers]

They would have lost the market for their product if they refused to put a back door in. I would MUCH rather see them doing what they have done than placing a backdoor in that any could use.
If the users in the impacted area don't like it, they usually have the power of that by using their voice and their votes.

I do wonder how much goes on that we don't know about. We accept encryption works but how many actually have the technical knowledge to know it cannot be decrypted? Maybe PGP the files before submitting to the supposedly secure cloud. Maybe time consuming but one could place numerous files in a folder, zip the folder then PGP the zipped folder.

Maybe back to photos in an album and letters in a ring binder.