Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row
www.bbc.com
Customers' photos and documents stored online will no longer be protected by end-to-end encryption.

BBC News - Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

  • “In a statement Apple said it was “gravely disappointed” that the security feature would no longer be available to British customers.”

Washington post - Apple yanks encrypted storage in U.K. instead of allowing backdoor access

I guess removing access for the uk is better than backdooring it in silence. But still, not great.

Also, it is interesting comparing compliance on this with complying with the EU on sideloading apps.

Original title: ‘Apple caved and pulled end-to-end encrypted backups in the uk’ - record of bad take title

  • AnAmericanPotatoEnglish
    12·
    1 day ago

    Apple has three realistic options:

    1. Submit to the UK’s demands and grant them a backdoor to encrypted backups.
    2. Disable encrypted backups in the UK.
    3. Leave the UK market entirely.

    They went with #2, which is probably the least user-hostile option available.

    From 1500GMT on Friday, any Apple user in the UK attempting to turn it on has been met with an error message.

    Existing users’ access will be disabled at a later date.

    I am very interested in seeing what the UX around this will be. Ideally, they should give users direct notice well in advance, so they have time to plan a migration or mitigation. Of course, Apple makes it basically impossible to perform a full backup through any mechanism except iCloud, so…one more example of how vendor lock-in is inherently a security and privacy risk.