Judge discloses dispute between Apple and British government over encryption
A judge has ruled that a legal dispute between the British government and Apple over data encryption must be conducted publicly. The decision comes after civil rights groups and news organisations, including the BBC, argued against keeping the proceedings secret.
The case revolves around the British Home Office’s desire to access information protected by Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP) system. This system uses end-to-end encryption, meaning that only the user has the key to decrypt their data. The government claims this capability is essential to national security, citing powers under the Investigatory Powers Act.
Apple strongly opposes the creation of a back door in ADP, fearing that it would compromise user privacy and could potentially be abused by malicious parties. This position received support from privacy advocates and some US politicians who criticized the British government’s request.
In response to the controversy, Apple removed ADP from the UK market and filed a lawsuit against the government. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which is overseeing the case, rejected the government’s plea for secrecy, emphasised the principle of open justice and acknowledged the widespread media coverage surrounding the issue.
The Interior Ministry stated that its primary concern is public safety and that it seeks targeted investigative powers to address serious crimes, including terrorism and child exploitation. They stressed that requests for access to data protected by ADP require a court-approved warrant.
Civil rights groups welcomed the ruling, seeing it as a victory for privacy and transparency.
Apple declined to comment further, but previously reiterated its commitment to user data security and its refusal to create backdoors in its products or services. Privacy International stressed the importance of open legal challenges on issues affecting the privacy and security of individuals worldwide.
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