WhatsApp Moves To Support Apple Against UK Government's Data Access Demands

WhatsApp has applied to submit evidence in Apple's legal battle against the UK Home Office over government demands for access to encrypted user data. The messaging platform's boss Will Cathcart told the BBC the case "could set a dangerous precedent" by "emboldening other nations" to seek to break encryption protections.

The confrontation began when Apple received a secret Technical Capability Notice from the Home Office earlier this year demanding the right to access data from its global customers for national security purposes. Apple responded by first pulling its Advanced Data Protection system from the UK, then taking the government to court to overturn the request.

Cathcart said WhatsApp "would challenge any law or government request that seeks to weaken the encryption of our services." US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has called the UK's demands an "egregious violation" of American citizens' privacy rights.

I guess Android/google rolls over

[FudRucker]

For any government wanting a backdoor into gmail or talk & text messages on their phones so it is never an issue to hear about in the news- big brother is watching, I wonder how much they steal to enrich their crony fascist business partners?

Re:

[ctilsie242]

This was discussed about way back in the 1990s on the cypherpunks list. One main fear is that the backdoors would be found by the real bad guys like hostile governments... and time prove that right.

All that happens is that enemy governments get a new treasure trove of info, while the criminals just move to another service. France tried to put the genie in the bottle in the late 1990s and tried banning all encryption, but even they realized that wasn't doable.

Re: I guess Android/google rolls over

[Ilove_Noname]

It's not a question of rolling over, neither of the examples you gave offer end to end encryption. They offer encryption between you and their servers; which is far from the same. One request basically says, we know you have this data here is a court order you are not allowed to talk about giving us access to it. The other is you are allowing/enabling this data to remain encrypted from us. Please change something so we can view it unencrypted.

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

But they can't admit they are doing that, so any evidence they get that way can't be used in court.

Re:

[FudRucker]

Yeah, but evidence that can not be used in court is a trail to more evidence that can be used in court, I been wanting to move away from gmail and looking for a USA based alternative and mail.com is on the shortlist

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

While true, the point is that they aren't likely to risk it being exposed for the sake of a mere criminal. They will reserve it for state level stuff.

Either way, at least having a backup to Gmail is a good idea. If your Google account is closed for some reason they are impossible to contact and it can't be resolved.

Great but...

[devslash0]

Before you support any big causes, you should fix your own product first. Specifically, disable the absolute dumb "swipe up to chat" voice call triggering bullshit.

It's hard to imagine

[0xG]

It's hard to imagine being in a position where you are rooting for Apple and Meta to win.
Yet here we are. What times we live in.