Time to watch V for Vendetta again... maybe one day it will be a documentary rather than fiction.
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Apple Pulls Encrypted iCloud Security Feature in UK Amid Government Backdoor Demands
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When analyzing what Apple has done here or "should have done", let's have some cooler heads and more sensible analysis prevail.
Apple realistically had no choice but to comply here
Apple realistically had no choice but to comply here
Not far behind is the Ununited States of Trump . The King of Executive Orders surely has one in draft mode now.
Any and all UK citizens:
FIND YOUR MP
Use this template (yeah I used ChatGPT but whatever) and send them an email.
Dear [MP Name],
My name is [your name] and I live in [town, city]. I am contacting you as my local MP.
Today, I read these articles about Apple disabling the "Advanced Data Protection" (ADP) feature in the UK in response to the government's demand of Apple to create a backdoor to access the data of UK customers.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgj54eq4vejo
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...cryption-feature-from-uk-after-backdoor-order
I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the government's decision to compel Apple to compromise user privacy by effectively forcing the removal of its ADP feature. I find this move not only alarming but a direct violation of fundamental digital security principles and personal freedoms.
Apple’s end-to-end encryption safeguards sensitive personal data, including device backups, messages, photos, and notes, ensuring they remain protected from breaches and unauthorized access. In an era of rising cyber threats, stripping away such security measures puts millions of UK citizens at unnecessary risk. This decision has also been met with significant international criticism, with concerns raised about the impact on national security and the UK's relationship with intelligence-sharing allies.
It is disgraceful that the government is leveraging the Investigatory Powers Act to demand a backdoor into user data—an act Apple has rightly refused to comply with. By forcing the company to disable ADP rather than respect privacy rights, the government is undermining the very security it claims to uphold. Cybersecurity experts have labeled this an “act of self-harm,” weakening online safety for UK-based users and setting a troubling precedent.
This policy is not only invasive but also counterproductive. Weakening encryption does not just impact potential criminal activity—it endangers journalists, activists, businesses, and everyday citizens who rely on secure communication. Furthermore, it sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that the government can dictate global tech policy to the detriment of its own people. The fact that the Home Office has refused to confirm or deny the existence of this request only adds to concerns about transparency and accountability.
I urge you to oppose this overreach and push for policies that protect, rather than erode, digital privacy. The UK should be at the forefront of championing cybersecurity, not coercing companies into weakening their protections. I expect my government to stand up for civil liberties and security, not jeopardize them under the guise of surveillance. I look forward to your response on how you intend to address this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
FIND YOUR MP
Use this template (yeah I used ChatGPT but whatever) and send them an email.
Dear [MP Name],
My name is [your name] and I live in [town, city]. I am contacting you as my local MP.
Today, I read these articles about Apple disabling the "Advanced Data Protection" (ADP) feature in the UK in response to the government's demand of Apple to create a backdoor to access the data of UK customers.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgj54eq4vejo
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...cryption-feature-from-uk-after-backdoor-order
I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the government's decision to compel Apple to compromise user privacy by effectively forcing the removal of its ADP feature. I find this move not only alarming but a direct violation of fundamental digital security principles and personal freedoms.
Apple’s end-to-end encryption safeguards sensitive personal data, including device backups, messages, photos, and notes, ensuring they remain protected from breaches and unauthorized access. In an era of rising cyber threats, stripping away such security measures puts millions of UK citizens at unnecessary risk. This decision has also been met with significant international criticism, with concerns raised about the impact on national security and the UK's relationship with intelligence-sharing allies.
It is disgraceful that the government is leveraging the Investigatory Powers Act to demand a backdoor into user data—an act Apple has rightly refused to comply with. By forcing the company to disable ADP rather than respect privacy rights, the government is undermining the very security it claims to uphold. Cybersecurity experts have labeled this an “act of self-harm,” weakening online safety for UK-based users and setting a troubling precedent.
This policy is not only invasive but also counterproductive. Weakening encryption does not just impact potential criminal activity—it endangers journalists, activists, businesses, and everyday citizens who rely on secure communication. Furthermore, it sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that the government can dictate global tech policy to the detriment of its own people. The fact that the Home Office has refused to confirm or deny the existence of this request only adds to concerns about transparency and accountability.
I urge you to oppose this overreach and push for policies that protect, rather than erode, digital privacy. The UK should be at the forefront of championing cybersecurity, not coercing companies into weakening their protections. I expect my government to stand up for civil liberties and security, not jeopardize them under the guise of surveillance. I look forward to your response on how you intend to address this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
The request of the UK was labeled top-secret. So I guess this was because of Echelon - for certain it still exists. I suppose the other countries part of 5 eyes, and likely also the 9 eyes, will follow shortly. I will turn the feature on now. I definitely don't want people like Elon Musk or his teenage minions to ever be able to reach my data for whatever (non-)reason.
Unlikely. He’s trying to prevent that here. Any thought otherwise is hyperbole.
Maybe also tighten it up and change it a bit so it's not just discarded as "spam" using a template
It might increase the chance anyone actually reads it
This letter is too long IMO
Yeah, we'll have to see how it plays out. I find it a bit odd that there's a grace period, but I guess it makes sense. Sounds like existing users can't be "grandfathered" in, so they need to force them off somehow.
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Curious to know how many people have actually turned this feature on?
EDIT see this point already made here. I dont have it turned on.
EDIT see this point already made here. I dont have it turned on.
Trying to prevent being able to see what's in everyone's data and have control over the information and the populace?
Are you missing your news briefs?
Have you seen who is head of the FBI now?
Did you miss the news about USPS takeover?
(could go on and on here)
yeah change it about. shorten it. it's a template.
Apple needs to thank the UK for their back door demands. Apple gets all this free security and privacy publicity. Media-“Apple will not compromise security to placate the UK”…iPhone owner-wow Apple will not budge on security! That’s why I luv their products!”
Always funny when this gets trotted out. One of Apple's most profitable markets, and you expect the shareholders to be OK with that? 😂 😂 😂
Not buying this argument. You do not sacrifice the privacy of all to try to catch a few bad actors. Freedom has costs and there will be a few casualties along the way.
Thank you, I was just composing a message in my head to send to my MP!
I seriously doubt if many MPs have any understanding of data privacy and protection and what it really means. All the time UK MPs use unauthorised services such as WhatsApp for government business.
yeah i doubt my MP knows how to use a phone at all.
but i don't want to do nothing.
I left the UK 6 years ago, but because my Apple ID was created in the UK (15 years ago!) I'm still affected by it.
So now if I want to use ADP, I will need to switch my account from UK to another country - potentially losing access to hundreds of previously purchased movies, TV series, apps, etc. Oh, and also switch my entire family, and somehow migrate all the iCloud data and HomeKit automation...
So now if I want to use ADP, I will need to switch my account from UK to another country - potentially losing access to hundreds of previously purchased movies, TV series, apps, etc. Oh, and also switch my entire family, and somehow migrate all the iCloud data and HomeKit automation...
A lot of people on here owes me an apology because they were insisting that I was crazy for worrying about Apple letting governments have access to our files on our phones and even blame us for CSAM if we are labeled as LGBTQ in Trump’s America he can do that. I fear Apple is going to let him do whatever with us who aren’t ***Christian*** Approved.
As far as I'm concerned, government IS that potential malicious actor more often than not.
Oddly enough, I recently watched the movie Spectre again. If any of you have seen it as well, then you know that the main storyline consists of the UK intelligence agencies launching a massively invasive surveillance initiative on citizens and even government employees themselves, while also working to convince other governments around the globe to adopt their approach so as to create one big hub of centralized information to share with each other. Kinda creepy now that something similar is manifesting in the real world... Life imitates art and all that.
