Everyone in the tech industry facepalms almost every time legislators try to pontificate on technology, but the British government appears to be trying to set a new record. After putting iMessage and FaceTime at risk, the government is now suggesting that it might ban some Apple security updates.
Imagine Apple shares a patch and the UK does not approve the install. Ok nice. Now everyone knows a vulnerability that affects most of the Apple devices in UK. What could go wrong.
Next step: require all security patches to be submitted to the UK government for review before disclosing it to any other government or to the public.
At that point Apple might as well pull out of doing business in the UK entirely.
As someone in the uk, please have them do so the uk learns its lesson
Yes, pulling out of the UK is on the tables now.
See, one of the amazing parts of the EU is the capability of collective bargaining.
If the UK was still in the EU, then any company looking to pull out of the UK because of laws would cause the EU to ban the company in every other country until they comply.
A company would essentially need to pull out of the entire EU in those instances, and with their 700 million rich inhabitants, that is one huge market to leave.
But leaving a 70 million market isn’t that big of a deal.
A most favored nation clause, but for security. Great… just what we needed.
Apple immediately ceases sales and support for all apple products in the UK.