Not to be cynical, but if anyone has looked at anything revealed about security agencies in the last few years it's very clear what's happening here - whenever US wants to do something unpopular/straight up illegal, it just asks the UK(or any other partner country) to do it instead. American government can't ask Apple for data on any American citizen, but if UK obtains that data and then it happens to be shared between agencies......that's all fine. It's been happening already for years.
U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
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Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
#12I think this is an unquestionable overreach on the UK's part. If you live in any country that isn't the UK, you should feel the threat from this: the UK government believes that it is entitled to a backdoor on your hardware, even if you've never stepped a foot on UK soil or intend to. Mass surveillance is a threat to everyone, but this is not an instance of that, which has guards against it, like encryption. This is…
A similar law passed in Australia a few years ago; various Australian law enforcement agencies can request or even demand companies to make changes to their code (read: introduce backdoors).
Until people and companies start treating Australian-made software as dangerous to the extent that it affects the economy, other countries will probably follow with similar laws.
That should include being hesitant to use American software as well. There's a good reason EU companies aren't allowed to store data on American servers.
Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
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Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
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Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
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Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
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> What is the problem? If Elon and a bunch of randos can have access why the UK cannot? Surely if they make a large enough donation to the west wing a deal can be made!
Are you really implying that Elon has a back door into encryption in the US? You probably better cite a source for that one cause that's deep conspiracy theory territory
Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
We should not normalize the idea that it's acceptable within a country's borders either. It's a massive overreach to demand a backdoor to phones within the country. Don't allow the even bigger overreach to move the Overton window and make it seem like it should ever be acceptable.
I think it's reasonable here to differentiate between acceptable and legal. It's completely unacceptable, but the British people have proven time and time again they're more than happy to make horrifically unacceptable things completely legal in the pursuit of "safety."
As with the US, I would not equate "British lawmakers passed" with "British people are happy to". British people are not given direct referendum on this issue specifically, and all of the mainstream British parties currently support the Snooper's Charter.
Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
#18It is only safe to assume that every security vulnerability will eventually be discovered, and exploited by a bad actor. Knowing that, willfully creating more vulnerabilities, however well intnded, is just reckless.
Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
#19European countries and the USA have an increased misalignment as the USA becomes more radicalized and less willing to work with other countries.
This is pretty clearly against EU principles. If anything this is more like a US alignment than a EU alignment.
It's pretty in line with their online protection act though, which is threatening jurisdiction over worldwide websites, no matter the size and with no clear guidance as to what a significant audience in the UK means.
Re: U.K. demand for a back door to Apple data threatens Americans, lawmakers say
#20European countries and the USA have an increased misalignment as the USA becomes more radicalized and less willing to work with other countries.
In this specific case: good. I don’t want USA companies cooperating with UK’s extremist policies like this one.
Companies cannot really stand up to governments. Unless another government gets involved, Apple will have to follow UK law if they want to keep doing business in that country.
By the way, the US is not a stranger to that kind of overreach, either (e.g. CLOUD act).