iOS users enraged as Apple removes encrypted security for UK customers

Apple users have taken to the internet to express their displeasure about Apple removing encrypted security for UK customers.

The customers in a Reddit thread on 21 February said Apple was hesitant to implement the removal but didn’t have much choice than to bow to the pressure from the government.

With the withdrawal of encrypted protection, UK users’ data can be accessed by the government unlike in the past when only the users could decrypt their own information on secure devices.

Violating users’ privacy

Early this month, the UK government requested that Apple create a backdoor through which it can access users’ encrypted data for all Apple customers worldwide.

Apple did not immediately give any response but instead restated its commitment to the privacy of its customers as such an action would be a major violation of user privacy.

The demand applies to all content stored using what Apple calls “Advanced Data Protection” (ADP) which are protected by end-to-end encryption.

However, Apple may have chosen the lesser evil by removing the encryption for just UK users, a decision some say is not enough. 

One of the users wrote:

“An important point is that it’s not clear that even this will be enough to comply with the law. The law requires Apple to hand over encrypted data, for any user in the world, to the UK government. The law does not depend on whether the feature is enabled in the UK or not.”

A bad precedent

Another frustrated user suggested that Apple withdraw from the country entirely to protest this kind of user privacy violation, but this is also an unlikely scenario.

“Apple needs to threaten pulling out of these POS government markets. I would completely support that even if I don’t get access to the latest Apple products if it ever happened to me. For the record, Apple did refuse to install a backdoor. From what I understand, this is a reversal to the previous status quo of encrypted backups, but not end-to-end encrypted backups.”

It is likely that this is just the beginning of more countries demanding access to user data around the world as more governments seek to gain more control over tech users.