https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jul/20/uk-surveillance-law-changes-could-force-apple-to-withdraw-security-features
US tech firm says giving government oversight of security changes could endanger encrypted products
End to end encryption is essential for private and secure communication of any form.
Unfortunately it seems our government still needs more pressure to understand that.
The insane thing about these laws are that the type of people they want to target will find a way to circumvent the laws.
Android side loading, vpns to circumvent isp block etc.
The very individuals they want to target will just be driven further underground at the expense of the privacy and security of everyone.
This is never going to pass. It’s got so many hurdles to jump at this point and similar bills have never gotten any traction. There’s nobody screaming for this and it’s just been dreamt up by old Tories who don’t understand technology. I think I read it’s just been opened up for eight weeks of consultation and on day one somebody will explain to them that child abusers don’t use messaging systems that can be cracked by the government and they’ll find a way around it. No matter what they do they’ll never stop people just VPNing out if the country and away from these laws.
Yes, but Apple and Meta have many more users and much more clout. As much as I don't like them, these public statements of intent are needed if this is to be defeated.
It's in Apple's best interest to show how good their encryption is. One must remember that, in these chest puffing cases.
Meta have also threatened to pull WhatsApp from the UK in response to this bill.
This is more than just marketing, Westminster’s meddling risks substantially weakening online security in the UK and beyond.
I’m deeply annoyed when somebody calls me on FaceTime. Go away! I can just about bring myself to answering a call from people in my contacts, sometimes. Or perhaps I’m just turning into a recluse.
There's a few of us then. Video calls are the spawn of hell.
And those people that walk about so we can all hear them? They are what lamp posts and open manholes were invented for.
Video calls are great when they are prearranged, but a nightmare when they come unexpected.
I once worked in an office that upgraded the phones to some sort of smart desk phone which had a proprietary video calling feature - it only worked between the same kind of phone and came on automatically. We rarely ever used it because so few of our contacts had the same system. But one time I called someone who did have the same system, and we both had looks of horror on our faces when we realised the video had started!