Apple has previously warned of removing iMessage and FaceTime from iPhones in the UK rather than weaken the security the two features offer. Fortunately, it seems that Apple no longer needs to carry out this threat.
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BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 04: An Apple iPhone 14 is displayed at an Apple Store on August 04, 2023 in Berkeley, California. Shares of Apple stock fell on Friday morning after the tech giant reported third-quarter earnings on Thursday with revenue of $81.8 billion compared to an expected $81.69 billion. Revenues have declined for the third consecutive year.
UK Government to Eliminate the Provision in Online Safety Bill
According to Phone Arena, the UK government has decided to eliminate the provision in the Online Safety Bill, which mandated messaging apps with end-to-end encryption to scan for illegal content, including child abuse images.
The proposed legislation, amending the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), will also mandate the Home Office to approve software updates of the messaging apps before they are released to users.
The Home Office is the UK's ministerial department responsible for immigration, security, and law and order. Apple strongly objects to the bill as this would weaken the end-to-end encryption used on messaging apps including iMessage and FaceTime.
Thus, the requirement has been removed following objections from tech companies and concerns over user privacy. The UK government has declared that it won't compel encrypted messaging applications to conduct scans for illegal or harmful content until such actions become technically feasible.
According to The Financial Times, a statement to the House of Lords on Wednesday afternoon will mark a bid by ministers to end a conflict with tech firms, including WhatsApp, that had warned of pulling their services from the UK if the bill passed.
The tech companies' ultimatums to withdraw specific services from the UK had a significant impact, with consumers concerned about losing access to iMessage, FaceTime, and WhatsApp.
WhatsApp previously stated its intention to cease operations in the UK if the Online Safety Bill becomes law.
Read Also: Rise in Grooming Incidents Reported as Online Safety Laws Stall
Apple, Other Tech Firms Opposing the Bill
The notion of prohibiting robust encryption was initially introduced in 2006 through the Intercept Modernisation Programme (IMP) program.
This program marked a significant moment in the ongoing debate surrounding encryption and its relationship with national security and privacy.
In July, there were concerns that Apple could disable iMessage and FaceTime on iPhones in the UK due to the UK government's proposed Online Safety Bill, according to 9To5Mac.
Rationality has prevailed, at least when it comes to the Online Safety Bill. Three major tech companies stood their ground, putting user privacy first and threatening to leave the UK if necessary.
The idea of delaying the bill until it is technically feasible is nonsense. The very nature of end-to-end encryption these apps utilize makes it impossible to scan messages without undermining its core purpose: safeguarding message privacy.
However, the debate isn't over yet, as the changes proposed under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 could still impose a similar requirement, potentially affecting Apple's security updates. But with this recent development, a potential similar solution could also be reached.
Related Article: Security Researchers Criticize UK's Online Safety Bill-Here's Why
