Apple Vs. UK Government: Will User Privacy Prevail Or Is It The End Of Encryption?

Apple takes a byte out of the UK’s Online Security Bill!

Standing firm against weakening E2EE (end-to-end encryption), the tech that protects your digital kingdom, Apple has shown defiance to the new bill.

Here is what the BBC reported : the U.K. government could demand a backdoor into any end-to-end encryption technology under the proposed Online Safety Bill. Tech companies, security experts and privacy advocates have all criticized the government's complex legislation, despite its claims that it would make the internet safer by forcing social media giants to remove illegal and harmful online content such as obscene material and hate speech.

Several popular messaging apps, like Signal and WhatsApp, have already warned the BBC that they will not comply with requests to compromise the security of their encrypted chat services.

Apple has voiced concern that the current Online Safety Bill, aimed at scanning encrypted messaging apps for obscene content directed at minors, can lead to breach of privacy. Apple has stated, "End-to-end encryption is a critical capability that protects the privacy of journalists, human rights activists, and diplomats."

"It also helps citizens defend themselves from surveillance, identity theft, fraud, and data breaches. The Online Safety Bill poses a serious threat to this protection and could put UK citizens at greater risk. "Apple urges the government to amend the bill to protect strong end-to-end encryption for the benefit of all."

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While Apple refuses to take a bite of the UK Online Security Bill, the government stands tall, aiming to amend it.

The BBC reports that amendments to the bill are likely, particularly to a section that critics claim may be used to mandate scanning. What those specific modifications would be and whether or not they will address activists' concerns remain open questions.

The announcement follows an open letter written by advocates for internet civil rights, The Open Rights Group, and sent to minister Chloe Smith.

From the letter: "The UK could become the first liberal democracy to require the routine scanning of people's private chat messages, including chats that are secured by end-to-end encryption." The signatories to the letter include more than 80 national and international civil society organizations, academics and cyber-experts.

"As over 40 million UK citizens and 2 billion people worldwide rely on these services, this poses a significant risk to the security of digital communication services not only in the UK, but also internationally." Said the UK government to BBC.

TechDogs-"Image Of UK Online Security Bill."

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Are you tuned in as the tech giants and the government lock horns to determine the fate of online security? Who will emerge victorious in this battle of encryption? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

First published on Wed, Jun 28, 2023

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