UK Encryption Order Threatens Global Privacy Rights | Human Rights Watch | Text Version
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The UK government order is an attempt to force Apple to provide access to encrypted user data, including device backups that can include contact lists, as well as location and messaging history, for any Apple user worldwide. The secret order, which the Washington Post reported was issued in January 2025 by the Home Office, the interior ministry, concerns Advanced Data Protection, an iPhone option that uses end-to-end encryption on data stored in the cloud, and means Apple has no access to user data stored on its servers. The UK government should drop the order.

  • @cheese_greaterEnglish
    12•5 days ago

    The ironic part is they might already have access to this. Apple’s Advanced Data Protection is convergent encryption which also lets them retain all metadata and filenames and hashes so its possible this is already available to them and they are using this for a different or distraction-related purpose

    • Brewchin
      English
      4•4 days ago

      Every serious person in law enforcement, who doesn’t have an agenda, acknowledges that the old fashioned policing methods make all of this redundant.

      It just takes longer (and so costs money), which is what this is about.

      These people would destroy the security of the world’s protocols just to save a few quid. It’s deplorable.