Brickbat: Keys to the Kingdom

Citing sources close to the discussion, The Washington Post reports that the United Kingdom's Labour government is demanding that Apple give it access to all iCloud data uploaded by anyone, anywhere in the world. It made this demand under a 2016 law requiring technology companies to assist the government in compiling evidence in criminal and other cases. Under that same law, it is illegal for companies to reveal even that the government is trying to compel them to cooperate.

Comments

[AT]

The Washington Post reports

lol ok

the United Kingdom's Labour government is demanding

Tracks.

that Apple give it access to all iCloud data uploaded by anyone

And this is why you don't use Apple products. Ever. Apple has always wanted EVERYTHING all in one place, centrally located, and accessible only via Apple-controlled pipelines to it.

Anybody who didn't figure this out back when "iTunes" entered the common lexicon is a dolt.

requiring technology companies to assist the government in compiling evidence in criminal and other cases

This is the UK Caliphate and its white-guilted enabler Karens at work. It's become painfully clear that they're only after one kind of "criminal" these days.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

Assuming those would be white, cis-gendered males, preferably of the Christian faith and inclined to be on the conservative side.

Everyone else being a "victim" within the scale of intersectionality. You've got to know your place. and those Karens in uniform are there to make sure you do.

[Adans smith]

Note to the U.K,, you're not an empire any more. And Apple should think about this carefully , do this in this country and watch the lawsuits pile up.

[Vernon Depner]

I won't be the least surprised if Apple complies. This is why I don't store anything in the cloud.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...the United Kingdom's Labour government is demanding that Apple give it access to all iCloud data uploaded by anyone, anywhere in the world.

Only justified if commoners breached the velvet ropes at Buckingham Palace.

[rbike]

Is tReason breaking the law by reporting this? So rebellious of them.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

There are some technical problems. Is iCloud data encrypted by individual phones before uploading, instead of by iCloud with a single generic Apple key? Then all Apple can give them is encrypted gibberish, and Apple *seems* to have done a decent job of making it hard to get private encryption keys off of phones, especially if they are turned off instead of merely having their screens locked.

[mad.casual]

There are some technical problems. Is iCloud data encrypted by individual phones before uploading, instead of by iCloud with a single generic Apple key?

[Sigh] This was covered back when the FBI tried to do essentially the same thing after the San Bernadino shooting.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Apple is not known for being honest and forthcoming and publicizing policy changes. They have been known to follow regime laws in, for instance, China. Pardon me for not taking their word, in the past, for what they will do with a different regime in the future.

[mad.casual]

Apple is not known for being honest and forthcoming and publicizing policy changes.

This is not a technical problem.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

It's not a cooking problem either, or a flat tire, or a duck whose vocal cords (or whatever ducks use) have been cut and can't quack.

[Mickey Rat]

So the UK Labour government is behaving like the Chinese Communist Paty run government? Getting back to their roots. I see.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

But it's only to protect you, for your own good etc. They can't help it if you're not smart enough to see that.

//sarc

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

I only upload computer viruses to the cloud.

[Longtobefree]

Wonderful. Yet another citation to the WaPo about an unnamed source making up stuff.

[Dillinger]

send them a stuxnet or something for the giggles ... call it TeaParty2.0

[Rossami]

We need a US law making compliance with such laws flatly illegal. We already have a strong precedent in the anti-bribery laws (which forbid US companies and their employees from engaging in bribery even in countries where it is allowed).