UK Effort To Keep Apple Encryption Fight Secret Is Blocked

A court has blocked a British government attempt to keep secret a legal case over its demand to access Apple user data. From a report: The UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a special court that handles cases related to government surveillance, said the authorities' efforts were a "fundamental interference with the principle of open justice" in a ruling issued on Monday. The development comes after it emerged in January that the British government had served Apple with a demand to circumvent encryption that the company uses to secure user data stored in its cloud services.

Apple challenged the request, while taking the unprecedented step of removing its advanced data protection feature for its British users. The government had sought to keep details about the demand -- and Apple's challenge of it -- from being publicly disclosed. Apple has regularly clashed with governments over encryption features that can make it difficult for law enforcement to access devices produced by the company. The world's most valuable company last year criticized UK surveillance powers as "unprecedented overreach" by the government.

"Clashed with governments over encryption"?

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh, but not China's government! They pick their fights via cost/benefit ratios like any other business.

Delta

[JBMcB]

Oh, but not China's government!

What's the mechanism for fighting the constitutionality of a law in Chinese courts?

I'll give you a hint before you go looking, there isn't much of one.

Re:

[Growlley]

hows is that or the uks actions any different from your fisa courts?

Court

[JBMcB]

The fact that there is even a court to hear these cases. It's not great, but much better than nothing.

Apple has defeated the FBI's requests to decrypt phones multiple times in court, so at least there's that

Re:

[Growlley]

and the uk has a court they just wanted to keep it a secret court just like your fisa.

Re:

[v1]

well... Apple basically called them up on the bench to swear under oath that they NEEDED Apple to decrypt the data because they couldn't get it without Apple's help. Instead of testifying, they very quietly dropped the case and walked away.

things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm

Re:

[v1]

What's the mechanism for fighting the constitutionality of a law in Chinese courts?

Step 1 is to ask the question
Step 2 is to disappear
Step 3 is to re-appear at a later date, not asking the question anymore

Re:

[taustin]

They have no chance whatsoever of prevailing with China. The UK isn't - yet - willing to admit out loud that they're a fascist police state, so Apple might be able to manipulate them into being sensible.

Headline could use punctuation

[rossdee]

Have to read TFS to understand.

Re:Headline could use punctuation

[VaccinesCauseAdults]

Users wanted to keep secrets, and Apple wanted to keep user secrets secret, but HM Government didn’t want Apple to keep user secrets secret, and HM Government wanted Apple to keep HM Government wanting Apple to keep user secrets secret secret.

Re:Headline could use punctuation

[VaccinesCauseAdults]

Oh I think I missed a NOT. Users wanted to keep secrets, and Apple wanted to keep user secrets secret, but HM Government didn’t want Apple to keep user secrets secret, and HM Government wanted Apple to keep HM Government wanting Apple NOT to keep user secrets secret secret.

Re:

[Kernel Kurtz]

And I thought the woodchuck one was hard.

Welcome to Orwell's 1984

[Mirnotoriety]

“Local authorities used Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act [theguardian.com] to follow people, including dog walkers, over five years”

“A case where a borough council used RIPA to conduct surveillance on a family amid concerns that the mother had lied on a school admissions form ..”

“Notorious incidents include the surreptitious planting of a microchip [localgover...wyer.co.uk] within a resident’s bin, purportedly in order to show that the resident was putting the bin out on the wrong days, and the use of secret cameras to identify unlawful dog fouling.”

Re:

[Growlley]

in America you eat the dogshit and claim - it's the safest most scientific food in the world. then supplay 25% tarrif on people who say it's dogshit and refuse to eat it.

Fascism is as fascism does

[Teckla]

A country not wanting to be transparent about this is evil.

Sheesh, the world is turning fascist at a concerning rate.

Re:

[Murdoch5]

Absolutely, why not call this what it really is? Digital molestation, why isn't the government excited it wants to digitally molest its citizens, and make that information public? If you're against security you're for violation, so celebrate it, and if you're not proud or willing to celebrate, at least be transparent, and if you can't do that, you know you're doing something wrong.

If you lie to the government, you get into big trouble, but if the government lies to you, it's all good? We teach people

UK thinks they can regulate US companies

[HanzoSpam]

https://x.com/cricketwyvern/st... [x.com]

I think they're in for a surprise.

Re:

[VaccinesCauseAdults]

The jury is still out on the efficacy of the April Fools’ Day Tariff Regime, but a failed casino owner, who thinks that trade deficit is a good metric for determining which countries are ripping off United States, probably isn’t winning the Nobel Prize for Economics any time soon. It’s like saying that Marks & Spencer is ripping me off because I choose to buy most of my stuff there instead of Fortnum & Mason. The Trump Administration is a clown show in a mini.

Re:

[VaccinesCauseAdults]

Exactly, the irony of the guy posting about free speech and government regulation and posting a link to a website where you can’t even post parody without including the word parody.

Re:

[v1]

Oh, countries absolutely can "regulate" businesses in other countries. In the "nicer" countries, they simply tell you that you can either obey the laws they have on their books, or pack up and leave and cease to do business with their entire population.

If the "market" your country provides the company is big enough, that alone can be enough to make you follow their rules, at least as far as people currently in their country are concerned. Lately the UK's been getting a little punchy though, expecting thei

shoe's on the other foot

[v1]

Isn't it ironic how the UK wants Apple to follow their laws, while at the same time they're trying to enforce them to an extreme that breaks their own laws?

Looks like the shoe's on the other foot now. I don't agree with everything Apple does, but I'll cheer them on as they refuse to go quietly and instead shine a light into a dark corner that's harboring some nasty cockroaches the govt doesn't want their citizens to see..