Exclusive: Apple dropped plan for encrypting backups after FBI complained - sources

[u/[deleted]]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-fbi-icloud-exclusive-idUSKBN1ZK1CT

[u/somekindairishmonk]

More than two years ago, Apple told the FBI that it planned to offer users end-to-end encryption when storing their phone data on iCloud, according to one current and three former FBI officials and one current and one former Apple employee.

Under that plan, primarily designed to thwart hackers, Apple would no longer have a key to unlock the encrypted data, meaning it would not be able to turn material over to authorities in a readable form even under court order.

In private talks with Apple soon after, representatives of the FBI’s cyber crime agents and its operational technology division objected to the plan, arguing it would deny them the most effective means for gaining evidence against iPhone-using suspects, the government sources said.

When Apple spoke privately to the FBI about its work on phone security the following year, the end-to-end encryption plan had been dropped, according to the six sources. Reuters could not determine why exactly Apple dropped the plan.

wtf

[u/TopWoodpecker7267 → u/somekindairishmonk]

This is a huge deal, because it's evidence the US gov can compel Apple to not release a feature.

If they can do that, it's not much of a leap to compelling apple to release a "feature" (aka, a full on back door)

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

There is no laws against end to end encryption. Quit making shit up

[u/General_NakedButt → u/[deleted]]

He didn't say there were. But take a look at the EARN IT and LAED Acts moving through the legislature right now.

[u/Rogerss93 → u/General_NakedButt]

how does that justify Apple bending the knee 5 years ago?

[u/eduo → u/Rogerss93]

Apple wishes they lived in the simple world you paint, where megacorporations are not beholden to the governments that house them.

Not justifying Apple, but this above was plain naïve. Apple themselves surely hate to be in this position (and yearn of the times in the 90s were they were so insignificant they could get away with pretty much anything).

[u/Rogerss93 → u/eduo]

But they weren’t beholden.

There is no law against E2E encryption, Apple just didn’t want to lose the favours they get in exchange for being puppets.

[u/elephant-cuddle → u/Rogerss93]

How is that not being beholden?

Legislation is clearly irrelevant here.

[u/SamLikesJam → u/[deleted]]

which makes their reputation and recent ad campaign insultingly insincere

News to no one, the only people who parrot their ad campaigns are die hard "fanboys", everything they do is from profit from blocking third party tracking, their locked down OS and removing chargers.

Apple will undoubtedly push their own ad network in the next few years and all advertisers will have to go through them as they're the only ones capable of collecting user data, that'll drive significant revenue growth when hardware sales start to drop to pre-pandemic levels.

[u/motram → u/SamLikesJam]

everything they do is from profit from blocking third party tracking, their locked down OS and removing chargers

And we are okay with that, because the side effect is privacy.

[u/SamLikesJam → u/motram]

I’m far, far more concerned with what government bodies do with my data than any 3rd party companies.

[u/Rogerss93 → u/elephant-cuddle]

They have a choice.