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It’s pretty impossible to imagine a life without FaceTime or iMessage. For Apple users, these apps are part of our daily lives, essential to how we communicate with anyone and everyone.
But now that could all be about to change. Apple has warned that it could axe iMessage and FaceTime services in the UK thanks to new changes to British surveillance laws. These laws could give the government the power to seek access to encrypted content, thereby gaining access to private messages.
Apple has been very vocal opponent to the UK government’s moves against online privacy, with end-to-end encryption being one of the firm’s key features. Apple said: ‘These provisions could be used to force a company like Apple, that would never build a backdoor, to publicly withdraw critical security features from the UK market, depriving UK users of these protections.’
Apple is not the only one concerned. The potential new policy has also received backlash from privacy campaigners, as well as social messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Signal.
On the flipside, a gov spokesperson said the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (the formal name of the law being amended) is designed to ‘protect the public from criminals, child sex abusers and terrorists. With strong independent oversight, the act regulates how intrusive investigatory powers by public authorities are used.’
In recent days the UK gov has slightly backed down on its clause targeting encrypted messages, with ministers assuring messaging platforms that the apps can’t be scanned indiscriminately for illegal content. The amendment to the government’s online safety bill is continuing to go undergo review.
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