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Tulsi Gabbard, the director of U.S. National Intelligence, has said she was not informed in advance about the U.K. government’s demand to access Apple (AAPL+0.89%) customers’ encrypted data globally. This request, made earlier this year, seeks the right to view data that even Apple cannot currently access, according to BBC News.
In response to the U.K.’s demand, Apple has taken the significant step of removing its highest level data security tool, Advanced Data Protection (ADP), from its U.K. market. ADP ensures that only account holders can view their stored items, such as photos or documents, through end-to-end encryption.
The Home Office issued a notice to Apple under the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act in January, which legally cannot be made public. In a letter to Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Andy Biggs, Gabbard expressed her concerns, stating that if the reports are accurate, the U.K.’s actions represent an “egregious violation” of U.S. citizens’ privacy, according to BBC News.
Gabbard is seeking further information from the FBI and other U.S. agencies and is also consulting legal advice to determine if the U.K. has breached an agreement with the U.S. not to demand data belonging to each other’s citizens. The U.S.-U.K. Agreement on Access to Electronic Data for the Purpose of Countering Serious Crime is under scrutiny, with two U.S. lawmakers requesting the Department of Justice to review the U.K.’s notice to Apple and its implications, as reported by BBC News.
The U.K.’s demand has sparked significant concern among privacy advocates and experts. Privacy International has labeled the move an “unprecedented attack” on individual privacy, highlighting the potential global repercussions if Apple is forced to create a backdoor in its products. Such a backdoor could compromise the security of data not only for U.K. users but also for Americans and various government agencies that rely on Apple products, according to BBC News.
Apple has not commented on the situation, while the U.K.’s Home Office referred to previous statements by Security Minister Dan Jarvis. Jarvis stated that he could not comment on operational matters or confirm the existence of any notices under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. He emphasized that privacy and security are not mutually exclusive and that both can be achieved, as reported by BBC News.
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