WhatsApp plans to support Apple in its ongoing legal battle with the UK Home Office over user data privacy, the messaging platform's boss Will Cathcart has told the BBC. The Meta-owned service warned that the case "could set a dangerous precedent" by encouraging other governments to demand access to encrypted communications. Apple launched legal action after receiving a secret government notice earlier this year demanding backdoor access to encrypted iCloud data worldwide. The UK used its Investigatory Powers Act to require Apple to compromise its Advanced Data Protection feature, which encrypts user photos, notes, messages, and device backups. Rather than comply, Apple pulled the encryption feature from UK users entirely in February. "WhatsApp would challenge any law or government request…

Apple has filed a legal appeal against a UK government order requiring the company to create a "back door" to its encrypted cloud storage systems, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) confirmed on Monday (via Reuters). The confirmation means that the Home Office cannot keep all the details of its demand out of the public domain. The high-profile challenge follows reports earlier this year that the UK used its Investigatory Powers Act to demand secret access to encrypted user data uploaded to iCloud worldwide. Apple responded by removing its Advanced Data Protection feature from the UK rather than compromising its security standards. According to the IPT ruling, the British government had sought to keep details of the case private. The Home…

Two human rights groups have filed a legal complaint with the UK's Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) in an attempt to quash the UK government's demand for Apple to allow backdoor access to its encrypted data (via Financial Times). Earlier this year, the UK government invoked the Investigatory Powers Act to demand that Apple create a backdoor granting secret access to encrypted user data stored in iCloud globally. However, Apple refused to comply. In response, rather than granting the requested access, Apple withdrew Advanced Data Protection from the UK, ensuring it would not be required to provide decryption capabilities. Advanced Data Protection offers end-to-end encryption for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users' data stored in iCloud. Apple subsequently lodged a legal complaint…

Apple says it will add support for a new Rich Communication Services (RCS) specification that includes end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for messages sent over the protocol in future software updates. "End-to-end encryption is a powerful privacy and security technology that iMessage has supported since the beginning, and now we are pleased to have helped lead a cross industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile published by the GSMA," said an Apple spokesperson. "We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates."The GSM Association (GSMA), the organization responsible for developing the RCS standard, started working to enable E2EE on messages sent between Android and iPhone in September last…

U.S. officials are looking at whether the United Kingdom violated a bilateral agreement by demanding Apple create a "backdoor" to access end-to-end encrypted iCloud data, according to a letter from National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard (via Reuters). The investigation comes after Apple's recent decision to withdraw its Advanced Data Protection feature from the UK after the British government reportedly issued a secret order requiring Apple to provide access to encrypted user data globally. Apple's Data Encryption Changes in the UK Explained In a February 25 letter to Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Andy Biggs, Gabbard stated that her legal team is reviewing whether the U.K.'s demands violated the CLOUD Act, which prohibits either country from issuing demands for the other's…

The head of US national intelligence said a demand from the UK for a backdoor into iCloud files globally is “a violation of Americans' privacy.” (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)