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Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed on Monday that the company has been helping the U.K. government investigate terror attacks in the country, despite being criticized by officials for its steadfast support of digital services that use end-to-end encryption.

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"We have been cooperating with the U.K. government not only in law enforcement kind of matters but on some of the attacks," Cook said during a Bloomberg Television interview on Monday. "I cannot speak on detail on that. But in cases when we have information and they have gone through the lawful process we don't just give it but we do it very promptly."
Cook went on to suggest that rather than breaking encryption and risking the security of millions of users' private data, technology companies could provide police with metadata - revealing when, where, and who sent and received messages, but not their content - which could be extremely helpful in criminal investigations. "Metadata, if you're putting together a profile, is very important," said Cook.

The comments follow a third attack in as many months in the U.K., which has reignited the debate surrounding online surveillance in the country. The current Conservative government is demanding new powers that would force technology companies to compromise encryption protocols.

In the wake of Saturday's terrorist attack at London Bridge, Prime Minister Theresa May again called for new laws to regulate the internet, demanding that internet companies do more to remove places online where terrorists can communicate. "We cannot allow this ideology the safe space it needs to breed," she said. "Yet that is precisely what the internet and the big companies that provide internet-based services provide."

Recently the U.K. government passed a bill that could theoretically mean companies are legally bound to do comply with such requests, although the practicalities of such a law have been repeatedly questioned by security experts. Apple's privacy and encryption policy has also been criticized by U.S. law enforcement officials and the company publicly clashed last year in court with the FBI over the issue.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple Helped U.K. Investigate Terrorist Attacks, Says CEO Tim Cook
 
Shameful power-grab by my country's government, and such wilful ignorance of how encryption works.

Hopefully things change after Thursday…

That said, it's good to see Tim cooperating to help trace the attackers and their network. Which just goes to show how pointless these draconian laws are, at least for their stated purpose.
 
Back-handed way to try and justify invading privacy by using the recent attacks. Anyone who isn't the PM who raises concerns (for example the 20K police cuts in the past) is called insensitive and fishing for votes.
 
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The current UK Government with their ideas and laws to 'stop terrorists' via the internet (generalisation, of course) makes no sense - they will always find a way. It's a bit like Trump's wall idea...has he never heard of tunnels?!

Ridiculous.

Or planes. A lot of illegals fly into the US.
 
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Cook went on to suggest that rather than breaking encryption and risking the security of millions of users' private data, technology companies could provide police with metadata :- Macrumors Quote

I actually "Agree" with Tim Cook on something for the first time :)
 
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The current UK Government with their ideas and laws to 'stop terrorists' via the internet (generalisation, of course) makes no sense - they will always find a way. It's a bit like Trump's wall idea...has he never heard of tunnels?!

Ridiculous.

Maybe the UK should stop letting so many problem people into their country? Europe in general has rolled out the red carpet over the last 10 years or whatever for these animals. Its like.... STOP letting them in. ya know?
 
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My country's current government have some (IMHO) insane ideas about damaging encryption, but it's good if Apple are assisting in useful traditional investigations to stop and/or disrupt evil people with murderous intent.
 
Maybe the UK should stop letting so many problem people into their country? Europe in general has rolled out the red carpet over the last 10 years or whatever for these animals. Its like.... STOP letting them in. ya know?

Perhaps while we are at it we can send all the violent gun offenders from the US back to their families' countries of origin as well then. I'm sure the US would be better off if we hasn't rolled out the red carpet for all those violent problem Europeans and such. :rolleyes:
 
Cook went on to suggest that rather than breaking encryption and risking the security of millions of users' private data, technology companies could provide police with metadata :- Macrumors said

I actually "Agree" with Tim Cook on something for the first time :)

Macrumors didn't said that, Bloomberg Television said it.
 
Shameful power-grab by my country's government, and such wilful ignorance of how encryption works.

Hopefully things change after Thursday…

That said, it's good to see Tim cooperating to help trace the attackers and their network. Which just goes to show how pointless these draconian laws are, at least for their stated purpose.

So are really saying Corbyn and Abbott are a better choice? God help us if they get in.th
 
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Personally I don't honestly care if a government gets to read my encrypted emails (Proton) or messages (WhatsApp). It's the likes of Google and pervasive advertising I want to eliminate. Furthermore, and this isn't going to be fashionable to say on here but; how would you feel about this matter the day you have to identify the dismembered remains of your child? No need to answer now, but if it ever happens, you can send me an encrypted email describing what it was like on the day you went to the mortuary when they pulled the white sheet back.........
 
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Maybe the UK should stop letting so many problem people into their country? Europe in general has rolled out the red carpet over the last 10 years or whatever for these animals. Its like.... STOP letting them in. ya know?

Dude, where did you come from? o_O They have been there, born and raised in Europe. Its not like they took the plane from Syria or Iran and came to London or Paris just to do these attacks.
 
Personally I don't honestly care if a government gets to read my encrypted emails (Proton) or messages (WhatsApp). It's the likes of Google and pervasive advertising I want to eliminate. Furthermore, and this isn't going to be fashionable to say on here but; how would you feel about this matter the day you have to identify the dismembered remains of your child? No need to answer now, but if it ever happens, you can send me an encrypted email describing what it was like on the day you went to the mortuary when they pulled the white sheet back.........

I believe breaking encryption makes us all less safe, not more safe. It's not a question of either being safer OR having good, strong encryption - the two go together.

Get back to me when you have figured out a perfect way to select only the bad people to whom mathematics and the physical laws of the universe won't apply.
 
I believe breaking encryption makes us all less safe, not more safe. It's not a question of either being safer OR having good, strong encryption - the two go together.

Get back to me when you have figured out a perfect way to select only the bad people to whom mathematics and the physical laws of the universe won't apply.
I do not need to get back to you and no wish to get back to you about anything. Just state your opinion and quit.
 
I do not need to get back to you and no wish to get back to you about anything. Just state your opinion and quit.

Ironically it was just a rhetorical figure of speech (indicated by the self-evidently impossibility of the request, which was the point), but instead of taking it as such you got back to me with that reply! ;):D

No offence was meant to you.
 
The current UK Government with their ideas and laws to 'stop terrorists' via the internet (generalisation, of course) makes no sense - they will always find a way. It's a bit like Trump's wall idea...has he never heard of tunnels?!

Ridiculous.

Erm, no, for instance one of the terrorists has their hate videos still up on You Tube for anyone to view... get your tin foil hat off and realise these tech giants have to face their responsibilities in these acts and hatred. The government is bang on with forcing them to grow up and take down these hate speeches and videos.

http://news.sky.com/story/hate-cleric-abu-haleemas-videos-still-available-on-youtube-10906491
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Dude, where did you come from? o_O They have been there, born and raised in Europe. Its not like they took the plane from Syria or Iran and came to London or Paris just to do these attacks.

Actually they do.. one of the attackers came here to harm us but had their application for Asylum refused in the U.K., so they went to Ireland and married an EU citizen to gain entry to the UK

http://news.sky.com/story/third-london-attacker-named-as-youssef-zaghba-10905940
 
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Moroccan, not Syrian or Iranian. "Yousseff" and the surname "Zaghba" are incredibly Arab-esque. Alas, not a Syrian as his example stated. I'd be worried if May's government won this week. I wouldn't trust a woman or man who decimated the police population by instituting layoffs as a result of cutting police funding, intelligence services funding, cut funding for the NHS and other medical programs, has plans on removing encryption, has zero plans on curbing Russian investment in major metro areas, etc.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm thankful I'm on the other side of the pond, even if it's with Donald Duck as President. Terrorism frightens me, too, but to an extent. I would not feel safe residing in the UK under May's government, because I know her government would cut even more fiscal resources that would protect the country. I'd feel fairly safe in the countryside, though. Maybe even a hill top house overlooking one of the bays of Torquay.
 
Personally I don't honestly care if a government gets to read my encrypted emails (Proton) or messages (WhatsApp). It's the likes of Google and pervasive advertising I want to eliminate. Furthermore, and this isn't going to be fashionable to say on here but; how would you feel about this matter the day you have to identify the dismembered remains of your child? No need to answer now, but if it ever happens, you can send me an encrypted email describing what it was like on the day you went to the mortuary when they pulled the white sheet back.........

How would you feel the day you have to identify the dismembered remains of your child after the government read your emails, decided you were a dissident and killed your family as retribution? How would you feel if your child was gay and lived in Chechnya, the government found out via their messages and sent the death squads round to kill them? No need to answer now, but if it ever happens, you can send me an encrypted email describing what it was like on the day.

You may currently feel safe having your government being able to spy on you. Others do not have the luxury, nor may you if your government changes to one you cannot trust.
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As far as I'm concerned, I'm thankful I'm on the other side of the pond, even if it's with Donald Duck as President. Terrorism frightens me, too, but to an extent. I would not feel safe residing in the UK under May's government, because I know her government would cut even more fiscal resources that would protect the country. I'd feel fairly safe in the countryside, though. Maybe even a hill top house overlooking one of the bays of Torquay.

Yet a day or two afterwards in the US 5 people were shot dead because someone didn't like being sacked from work. Still feel safe ?
 
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