Could Apple Pull iCloud Services From the UK Market?

[sw1tcher]

Straight up Fascism in the UK.

And the U.S. too, right?

President Donald Trump and the nation’s top law enforcement official are facing off against Apple, the most valuable American company.

The fight started because the FBI says it cannot extract data from two iPhones used by Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, who is suspected of killing three people last month in a shooting at a Navy base in Pensacola, Florida. Attorney General William Barr and Trump want Apple to help by unlocking the phones it manufactured.

Although the current fight is over these two password-protected phones, it’s only the latest skirmish in a long-running battle over whether technology companies should give law enforcement special access to customers’ data.

Barr and other law enforcement officials call it the “going dark” problem and argue that all data should be accessible with a warrant. Apple and techies tend to call the concept a “backdoor” and argue that it would hurt security for everyone who uses that device.

 

[rikscha]

So Chinese are not humans then or how does this logic work?

 

[9081094]

No. I don’t want governments telling companies or users what to do or not to do.

I don’t think it’s possible anymore. We need rules and comply to those rules in order of not to get into total chaos. Whether it’s persons or companies. In a democracy we can vote for our government. But once the voted government makes rules you have to obey them, if you like it or not.

 

[arkitect]

Totally 100% agree, sadly I have to live here... 🙁

No.

If you think the current UK government is Fascist, then you have no idea what Fascism is. You really don't.

Hell, I know its the custom lately to call anyone we don't agree with a Fascist, and that goes for what I think of the Orange Cheeto in Chief, but it dilutes the genuine awfulness.

 

[contacos]

The Brits really like to spy on its citizens…

Not just British. They demand GLOBAL access

 

[9081094]

While I agree they wouldn't pull out over the DMA, this is the one thing I could see Apple pulling out of the UK (not the EU) over. Maybe not likely, but definitely possible. I hope they do, but can't same I'm optimistic they will. We will see what happens.

At some point this is a good test to see if what color they choose 😊

 

[yustas]

Stop doing business with EU, simple, problem solved. Let's see who blinks first. Wall Street will recalibrate. Google and Meta are not doing business in China and their stock price is fine.

 

[Piggie]

Please please Apple grow a pair of large ones, and take the Nuclear Option.
I'd love to see how the government reacts against many many millions of angry customers.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Stop doing business with EU, simple, problem solved. Let's see who blinks first. Wall Street will recalibrate. Google and Meta are not doing business in China and their stock price is fine.

The UK is not in the EU

They've been out for over 5 years now

 

[ashdelacroix]

I strongly suspect this is not just a UK effort, but is being driven by spy agencies within the Five Eyes group, who will use UK legislation and access to UK intelligence for their own local surveillance and analysis requirements, putting requests through the UK's Home Office or GCHQ. If the US cannot spy on its own people, it can, as it has in the past, obtain data about its own citizens via a third party. The clue is in the fact that the legislation covers global data, not just in respect of UK citizenry. I suspect Five Eyes will be elated if the UK pulls this off. The whole thing is completely chilling.

 

[arkitect]

Please please Apple grow a pair of large ones, and take the Nuclear Option.
I'd love to see how the government reacts against many many millions of angry customers.

Unfortunately in the UK and I am British (and ashamed of these antics) these millions won't be up in arms.
Now take away their FaceBook, TikTok and Instagram dripfeeds and you will have a revolution.

 

[arkitect]

The UK is not in the EU

They've been out for over 5 years now

Unfortunately. *sigh* But that is another discussion… 😔

 

[9081094]

Not just British. They demand GLOBAL access

Really? That’s impossible. I could understand they want have the possibility to have access in some circumstances like terrorism threat (is that proper English?). Only a specialized force task force of the government being able to get access in case of danger for society.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Unfortunately. *sigh* But that is another discussion… 😔

It honestly scares me a bit that someone keeps re-posting a data point that is completely inaccurate

 

[segfaultdotorg]

They had the opportunity to take a stand with the Lightning connector ban, then the App Store, and didn’t. I guess they will capitulate on privacy, as well.

 

[ashdelacroix]

Really? That’s impossible. I could understand they want have the possibility to have access in some circumstances like terrorism threat (is that proper English?). Only a specialized force task force of the government being able to get access in case of danger for society.

The global nature of the request and the supporting legislation tells me this is a Five Eyes scheme, not just a UK one, with the UK "taking one for the team" by being the front for it all. It is more than apparent that the US spy agencies are also desperate for encrypted data, whatever they have said recently about citizens needing to keep their data secure. It would be naive to think this is just a UK issue.

 

[jonblatho]

And I think just a specialized force of the UK government will get access to it to keep everyone safe from terrorist planning and so on…

As the person you were replying to suggested, the mere existence of a “back door” for encryption is basically a front door.

Apple doesn’t even trust itself with a back door for this reason. Why in the world would it trust anyone else?

 

[LogicalApex]

While it's a small difference, I believe China didn't require Apple to break encryption. Also, from a practical point of view, the China market is a much bigger deal than the UK market. The UK sometimes still seems to think they're a world power, but they're not.

They did actually. All E2EE encrypted Apple services store keys on a server hosted in China with government access.

Outside of China Apple doesn’t store keys at all.

Apple officially moves its Chinese iCloud operations and encryption keys to China

Experts say the move could force Apple to obey various government requests to access Chinese iCloud data.

www.theverge.com

 

[9081094]

The global nature of the request and the supporting legislation tells me this is a Five Eyes scheme, not just a UK one, with the UK "taking one for the team" by being the front for it all. It is more than apparent that the US spy agencies are also desperate for encrypted data, whatever they have said recently about citizens needing to keep their data secure. It would be naive to think this is just a UK issue.

It’s a bit of a two edged sword. At one point you want to give anyone its privacy, on the other hand you want to be safe in your own country and want your government to protect you against any potential terrorist attack.

If any government purely use those data to keep society safe, I’ve no problem with that (not in a democracy anyway).

We live in a turbulent world at the moment and better safe than sorry.

 

[Polinsky]

And… the UK isn’t even part of the EU. I think the EU will follow. I don’t mind because I’ve nothing to hide.

Are you really that naive?

 

[switz]

Imagine all the new adds, spam and virus opportunities we will get if the Trump/Musk numchucks disclose everyone's personal information to ANY one or thing that wants it.

 

[Polinsky]

That’s your biggest mistake in trusting companies. In the end they’ll always choose money over you.

Mark my words: Timmy chooses 💰💰💰

But you already said you have nothing to hide so you don't mind your privacy being invaded and exploited. How very sad you don't understand the implications.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Imagine all the new adds, spam and virus opportunities we will get if the Trump/Musk numchucks disclose everyone's personal information to ANY one or thing that wants it.

The info they already have as we type this

😡

I'm blown away that there aren't at least some Republicans fully outraged about this
MAGA has taken over the R party totally

 

[9081094]

Are you really that naive?

Can’t say that of myself but people who know me well don’t think so.

 

[testcard]

Welcome to the UK 2025.