Don’t Let the UK Break Apple’s iCloud Encryption Once encryption is broken, it can’t be undone. Sign our petition to stop this dangerous move. Hello, The UK government has secretly ordered Apple to give it access to encrypted personal data stored in iCloud, jeopardizing the privacy and security of millions worldwide.1 This demand, issued under the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act (dubbed the “Snoopers’ Charter” by rights groups), would force Apple to create a backdoor — giving the government the ability to access anyone’s encrypted data. It's inevitable that other governments will follow the UK’s example. This sets a dangerous precedent: If one government can force a company to undermine encryption, then private iCloud data is at risk around the world. Your personal messages, photos, and sensitive information could be shared — and that’s not just for people in the UK, but for everyone else too. In response, Apple has already halted encrypted iCloud services for people in the UK, making everyone less secure online.2 Mozilla is urgently calling on the UK’s Home Office (the department responsible for the country’s interior affairs) to urgently drop its attack on encryption, before it’s too late. Add your name to join Mozilla in demanding the UK government abandon its push to break Apple’s iCloud encryption. End-to-end encryption keeps our personal data — like photos, messages, and notes — safe from hackers, surveillance, and misuse. Encryption transforms data into a coded format, ensuring that only authorized parties can access and understand it. When Apple’s iCloud data is encrypted, all stored files, photos, and backups are converted into unreadable code, accessible only with a unique key. This ensures that the user’s personal data remains private and secure. Strong encryption is essential for protecting privacy and security. Weakening it creates vulnerabilities that bad actors can exploit, putting our data — and even our safety — at risk. If we don’t act now, this won’t stop with the UK — other governments may follow the UK’s lead. Apple has already pulled encrypted iCloud services in the UK, setting a dangerous precedent. Once encryption is weakened, there’s no going back. This risks leaving everyone’s Apple iCloud data exposed — and if you’re an Apple user, that includes you. That’s why governments must prioritize strengthening user security by upholding the best encryption practices — not undermining them with demands to break encryption because they want blanket powers to be able to spy on users. Mozilla’s community is urgently calling on the UK’s Home Office to withdraw this demand, and specifically to: - Wholly revoke its technical capability notice to Apple demanding access to end-to-end encrypted data;
- Publish a comprehensive list of other technical capability notices that have required companies to provide backdoor access to users’ encrypted personal data; and
- Publicly commit to respecting, protecting, and upholding the right to privacy online, including by confirming that the UK government will end its policy of attempting to gain backdoor access to people’s encrypted personal data.
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We must act now before it’s too late. Encryption is one of the last safeguards of our digital privacy — once compromised, it’s impossible to restore. Stand with us in defending this fundamental protection. Sign Mozilla’s petition today and tell the UK Home Office to reverse its demand to access anyone’s Apple encrypted iCloud data. Thank you for everything you do for the internet and to protect online privacy. Nicholas Piachaud Director of Campaigns Mozilla
More Information: 1. The Washington Post: U.K. orders Apple to let it spy on users' encrypted accounts. 7 February 2024. 2. BBC: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row. 21 February 2024. |