Following Apple granting access to iPhone users’ encrypted data in the UK, the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is also seeking access to such data of both iPhone and Android users in the US.
After over five years of back and forth, BBC has just reported that Apple has removed full iCloud security for UK users and granted full access to the UK government. That initially felt felt far away everyone else, but no more of US residents who use iPhones and Android phones.
Forbes reported that what has just shocked the UK is exactly what the FBI said it also wants in the US – “Lawful access” to any encrypted user data.
In the UK, the government insisted it need legal access to encrypted messages and content to fuel investigations into serious crimes such as terrorism and child abuse.
But industry watchers are concerned that what has just happened in the UK and soon to happen in the US, means that the platforms like Apple and Facebook which have always used end-to-end security as a differentiator, are losing their campaign to maintain user security as a priority.
The other concerns is whether visitors to the UK who use iPhone and visitors to the US who use iPhone and Android devices will also be have their data exposed to lawful access by the governments of these country, or the access only applies to residents of the two countries.
