As a rule, I spend my Saturday morning writing on Android or Google or simply the gadgets that we use and all love, but this week, I’m talking about Apple.
Not really, but Apple is at the forefront and under the spotlight because he tries to do the right thing for his customers, or at least what he is sure, that’s the right thing. What is important is not that Apple does it, but that a company with enough money to fight takes the power of the British government because it thinks that the cause is worth it.
Android & Chill
One of the oldest technological columns on the web, Android & Chill is your Saturday discussion on Android, Google and All Things Tech.
What are you talking about, Jerry?
At the end of February of this year, Apple announced that it “can no longer offer advanced data protection in the United Kingdom to new users”. The company gives us a good overview of what it means on its website if you are more curious (you should be), but the jist is that the United Kingdom now requires that Apple gives access to the encrypted iCloud data for anyone using it in the country. Rather than complying, Apple has cut millions of users.
It is important to note that this is only for Apple, at least for the moment. Google, Meta, Microsoft and the rest of the large technological companies are not affected. They probably will be early enough.
It seems to be a bad call and feels a little unfair for British customers, but it is neither. In fact, you could say that it is the opposite and that Apple does what is best; This is what I think, even if I say it as a foreigner who does not live in the United Kingdom or does not use Apple like iCloud.
Apple and its billions of dollars fiduciary fight in court and have has officially made a complaint Against the Secretary of State of the British Interior Department.
More security and privacy
Offering a door -stolen door is a terrible idea, even if it can help in certain situations. More importantly, Apple has long promised to do it and sticks to its weapons for the moment.
It is also very important to note that the official response of the United States was probably not what you thought to be. Washington officials don’t really like the idea of a door to the British government, declaring that he has The “serious concerns” concerning the obligation of a company to create a stolen door which would allow access to the encrypted data of any American, calling it a violation of privacy and civil freedoms. There was no DC cheers, surprisingly.
This should be important to you, even if you think that the authorities should have a way to access encrypted data via appropriate channels. And I understand why people feel this and realize that serious crimes and acts of terror could be investigated, perhaps even prevented, by doing so.
These high -level cases cannot however be the decisive test. For each international drug cartel or disturbed terrorist cell because “rights” could examine the “good” data, how many times will this privilege be abused?
A little old grandmother who lives in Georgia is bursting because she pushes weeds to help with her glaucoma is subject to the same meticulous exam as the next Pablo Escobar. It means You are also. People who are investigating are only people and will sometimes take the way easy. Digging in a full backup of all your phone data is damn easy.
I do not know if Apple will prevail and I cannot even offer a prediction. What I know is that if this is able, other companies from other countries will become targets of the same types of laws and, in the words of the American Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, our civil freedoms are subject to a violation.
