As I reported 5 or 6 months ago, the UK decided to issue an order to Apple mandating a backdoor to all their users’ data. Apple responded by simply withdrawing their encryption services from the UK.
At the time I noted that even the US Government—despite their obvious desire for such a capability—were not amused and Congress began rattling their sabers. Lately, the Trump administration has been even more explicit in their displeasure and now, it appears, the UK Government is looking for a way to back down.
Backing down is not something any government wants to—or can even afford to—do except under the most exceptional circumstances but it appears that the UK government finds itself in just that situation. Senior government officials are saying that the Home Office has badly mismanaged the situation and that they need to find a way to back down.
In the courts, at least, the Home Office is maintaining its stance but that’s just silly. Regardless of what the UK Tribunal decides, there is no way that Apple is going to provide the backdoor and no way the US Government is going to insist that they do. The last thing the British Government needs is to have its very serious mandates ignored and be seen as a toothless lion.
As I’ve said before, I have nothing but good feelings for our English cousins but perhaps a bit of humiliation will give other governments pause when they’re considering similar
Quixotic adventures. Even if, against all odds, they were to prevail, the bad guys would find a work around and only the honest people would suffer.