Apple has voiced strong opposition against proposed amendments in the British parliament aimed at modifying legislation that would enable the government to compel messaging services to reduce the encryption safeguarding their users’ communications. The tech giant emphasized its commitment to maintaining end-to-end encryption for iMessage users, asserting that it would not compromise this feature for any single nation.
The amendments are part of the Online Safety Bill, which seeks to revise the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) of 2016. This legislation is currently under review in the UK parliament, and the government has initiated an eight-week consultation process. Among the proposed changes is a requirement for platforms such as iMessage and Signal to implement technology that would facilitate the monitoring of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
In a detailed nine-page document, Apple articulated its concerns, arguing that such a demand would undermine the privacy assurances provided to its users, as reported by the BBC.
The proposed modifications suggest introducing backdoors into encrypted messaging applications and calling for companies to disclose details about any forthcoming security enhancements. Experts caution that establishing a backdoor for law enforcement could create vulnerabilities susceptible to exploitation by hackers and cybercriminals.
Apple reiterated its stance against compromising security protocols for global users in deference to a single country’s requests.
Furthermore, the company has indicated that it may discontinue support for iMessage and FaceTime in the UK should the government insist on implementing the proposed changes to the IPA.
Meredith Whittaker, president of the Signal messaging app, quickly endorsed Apple’s firm position against the UK government’s requests by sharing the BBC report on social media.
Apple joins Signal & WhatsApp: they’ll pull services from the UK before compromising privacy + security. This makes sense: the alt to exiting is undermining your reputation, killing the trust of those who rely on you. See: RIM, Blackberry, Saudi Arabia.https://t.co/veVS0P1qMK
— Meredith Whittaker (@mer__edith) July 21, 2023
Whittaker has previously expressed similar sentiments, affirming that Signal would prefer to exit the UK rather than comply with the proposed amendments.
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, has also voiced opposition to the UK government’s request to permit officials access to encrypted conversations, emphasizing user privacy and security.
The UK government’s consultation process will consider industry perspectives before any decisions are made. A spokesperson from the Home Office stated that the IPA Act was designed to shield the public from threats posed by “criminals, child sex abusers, and terrorists,” and assured that “no decisions have yet been made” as the consultation process unfolds.
