Latest news with #InvestigatoryPowersActof2016
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gabbard says UK scraps demand for Apple to give backdoor access to data
LONDON (AP) — Britain abandoned its demand that Apple provide so-called backdoor access to any encrypted user data stored in the cloud, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Monday. Gabbard indicated London and Washington had resolved their high-stakes dispute over electronic privacy, writing on X that she and President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance spent the 'past few months' working with the U.K. government. 'As a result, the UK agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a 'back door' that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties,' she said. The dispute surfaced at the start of the year with a news report that British security officials had issued the U.S. tech giant with a secret order requiring the creation of backdoor access to view fully encrypted material. Apple challenged the order, which raised fears of electronic spying by national security officials. The British government reportedly served Apple with what is known as a 'technical capability notice' ordering it to provide the access under a sweeping law called the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which has been dubbed the snoopers' charter. The U.K. Home Office did not respond directly to Gabbard's statement, saying it 'does not comment on operational matters, including confirming or denying the existence of such notices.' 'We have long had joint security and intelligence arrangements with the US to tackle the most serious threats such as terrorism and child sexual abuse, including the role played by fast-moving technology in enabling those threats," the office said. "We will always take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe.' Gabbard previously said a demand for backdoor access would violate the rights of Americans and raise concerns about a foreign government pressuring a U.S.-based technology company. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company had reacted to the order by withdrawing its Advanced Data Protection encryption feature for new users in the U.K. and disabling it for existing users. The opt-in feature protects iCloud files, photos, notes and other data with end-to-end encryption when they are stored in the cloud. ___ Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui contributed to this report. Solve the daily Crossword
Engadget
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Engadget
The UK will no longer require Apple to create backdoor access to users' data
UK officials will no longer compel Apple to create backdoor access to its users' data, according to US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. She wrote on X that she, President Trump and Vice President Vance worked closely with their "partners in the UK" over the past months. "As a result," she continued, "the UK has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a 'back door' that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties." As The New York Times notes, the UK government issued the secret order earlier this year after amending the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016. The law gives the UK government the right to compel companies to turn over data to law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Reports about the mandate started to come out in February, however, and Apple pretty much confirmed it when it disabled iCloud's Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK. ADP gives users the power to to add optional end-to-end encryption to a variety of iCloud data, which means the information can't be accessed by authorities unless they have the user's device in their hands. "As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will," Apple said at the time. A bipartisan group of US lawmakers asked Gabbard to take measures to prevent what they called "a foreign cyberattack waged through political means" after the information about the mandate went public. Meanwhile, Apple filed a complained with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), which "investigates complaints about the alleged conduct of public bodies in relation to members of the public," to get the order reversed. The company has yet to issue an official statement about the reversal of the UK mandate.
San Francisco Chronicle
6 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Gabbard says UK scraps demand for Apple to give backdoor access to data
LONDON (AP) — Britain abandoned its demand that Apple provide so-called backdoor access to any encrypted user data stored in the cloud, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Monday. Gabbard indicated London and Washington had resolved their high-stakes dispute over electronic privacy, writing on X that she and President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance spent the 'past few months' working with the U.K. government. 'As a result, the UK agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a 'back door' that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties,' she said. The dispute surfaced at the start of the year with a news report that British security officials had issued the U.S. tech giant with a secret order requiring the creation of backdoor access to view fully encrypted material. Apple challenged the order, which raised fears of electronic spying by national security officials. The British government reportedly served Apple with what is known as a 'technical capability notice' ordering it to provide the access under a sweeping law called the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which has been dubbed the snoopers' charter. The U.K. Home Office did not respond directly to Gabbard's statement, saying it 'does not comment on operational matters, including confirming or denying the existence of such notices.' 'We have long had joint security and intelligence arrangements with the US to tackle the most serious threats such as terrorism and child sexual abuse, including the role played by fast-moving technology in enabling those threats," the office said. "We will always take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe.' Gabbard previously said a demand for backdoor access would violate the rights of Americans and raise concerns about a foreign government pressuring a U.S.-based technology company. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company had reacted to the order by withdrawing its Advanced Data Protection encryption feature for new users in the U.K. and disabling it for existing users. The opt-in feature protects iCloud files, photos, notes and other data with end-to-end encryption when they are stored in the cloud.
7 hours ago
- Politics
Gabbard says UK scraps demand for Apple to give backdoor access to data
LONDON -- Britain abandoned its demand that Apple provide so-called backdoor access to any encrypted user data stored in the cloud, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Monday. Gabbard indicated London and Washington had resolved their high-stakes dispute over electronic privacy, writing on X that she and President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance spent the 'past few months' working with the U.K. government. 'As a result, the UK agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a 'back door' that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties,' she said. The dispute surfaced at the start of the year with a news report that British security officials had issued the U.S. tech giant with a secret order requiring the creation of backdoor access to view fully encrypted material. Apple challenged the order, which raised fears of electronic spying by national security officials. The British government reportedly served Apple with what is known as a 'technical capability notice' ordering it to provide the access under a sweeping law called the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which has been dubbed the snoopers' charter. The U.K. Home Office did not respond directly to Gabbard's statement, saying it 'does not comment on operational matters, including confirming or denying the existence of such notices.' 'We have long had joint security and intelligence arrangements with the US to tackle the most serious threats such as terrorism and child sexual abuse, including the role played by fast-moving technology in enabling those threats," the office said. "We will always take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe.' Gabbard previously said a demand for backdoor access would violate the rights of Americans and raise concerns about a foreign government pressuring a U.S.-based technology company. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company had reacted to the order by withdrawing its Advanced Data Protection encryption feature for new users in the U.K. and disabling it for existing users.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Gabbard says UK scraps demand for Apple to give backdoor access to data
LONDON (AP) — Britain abandoned its demand that Apple provide so-called backdoor access to any encrypted user data stored in the cloud, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Monday. Gabbard indicated London and Washington had resolved their high-stakes dispute over electronic privacy, writing on X that she and President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance spent the 'past few months' working with the U.K. government. 'As a result, the UK agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a 'back door' that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties,' she said. The dispute surfaced at the start of the year with a news report that British security officials had issued the U.S. tech giant with a secret order requiring the creation of backdoor access to view fully encrypted material. Apple challenged the order, which raised fears of electronic spying by national security officials. The British government reportedly served Apple with what is known as a 'technical capability notice' ordering it to provide the access under a sweeping law called the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which has been dubbed the snoopers' charter. The U.K. Home Office did not respond directly to Gabbard's statement, saying it 'does not comment on operational matters, including confirming or denying the existence of such notices.' 'We have long had joint security and intelligence arrangements with the US to tackle the most serious threats such as terrorism and child sexual abuse, including the role played by fast-moving technology in enabling those threats,' the office said. 'We will always take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe.' Gabbard previously said a demand for backdoor access would violate the rights of Americans and raise concerns about a foreign government pressuring a U.S.-based technology company. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company had reacted to the order by withdrawing its Advanced Data Protection encryption feature for new users in the U.K. and disabling it for existing users. The opt-in feature protects iCloud files, photos, notes and other data with end-to-end encryption when they are stored in the cloud. ___ Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui contributed to this report.
