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The U.K. government’s secretive demand to Apple for a backdoor in the end-to-end encrypted version of its iCloud storage service has sparked a strong reaction from two prominent civil rights organizations, Liberty and Privacy International. The groups have jointly filed complaints against Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to issue a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA).
This development marks an unprecedented challenge to the government’s actions, as both organizations are concerned that such backdoors could undermine essential privacy and free expression protections globally.
Liberty and Privacy International fear that this TCN, or any future similar orders, could be exploited to compromise end-to-end encryption, which is crucial for safeguarding individuals’ personal data. Their concerns extend beyond the U.K., as they warn of global consequences.
It’s worth noting that Apple has already taken legal action against the TCN and will have its appeal heard by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT). The civil rights organizations are now seeking to join their complaints to Apple’s case, citing direct victimhood. They are also advocating for a public hearing rather than an in-camera proceeding.
The IPT is set to hear these challenges today, March 14.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/14/uks-secret-icloud-backdoor-order-triggers-civil-rights-challenge/
