Privacy InternationalMar 10, 2025

🆕 We’re demanding transparency on the UK government’s ‘Technical Capability Notices’ (TCN) - a secret power that gives itself the right to issue secret orders to any company, undermining the security of everyone across the world.

https://privacyinternational.org/advocacy/5535/privacy-internationals-letter-uk-home-office-demanding-transparency-technical

Privacy International’s letter to the UK Home Office demanding transparency on Technical Capability Notices

We believe the Government's position of refusing to confirm or deny the existence of the Technical Capability Notice or acknowledge Apple's appeal is untenable and violates principles of transparency and accountability.

Privacy International
Show threadPrivacy InternationalMar 10, 2025

A month ago, we found out via The Washington Post that the UK government has used its Powers to issue a notice to Apple to hand over encrypted iCloud data, threatening the privacy and security of users all over the world.

This notice was via a TCN, and they represent a dangerous, disproportionate and intrusive surveillance power available to the government under the current UK surveillance regime.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/02/07/apple-encryption-backdoor-uk/

U.K. orders Apple to let it spy on users’ encrypted accounts

Secret order requires blanket access to protected cloud backups around the world, which if implemented would undermine Apple’s privacy pledge to its users.

The Washington Post
Show threadPrivacy InternationalMar 10, 2025

Apple responded by withdrawing its Advanced Data Protection (‘ADP’) services, meaning UK users will no longer have the option to add end-to-end encryption to their photos, documents and other kinds of data stored on iCloud.

In addition, the company has reportedly also taken the UK government to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), a body tasked with deciding on surveillance matters.

Show threadPrivacy International

But we aren’t supposed to know any of this, as TCNs are extremely secretive and it is an offence for Apple to talk publicly about this or tell anyone about the existence or contents of the order.

Instead, widespread international media reporting, comments made by Donald Trump and Apple’s own actions have rendered continued secrecy regarding the existence of the TCN moot, untenable and ridiculous.

Mar 10, 2025 at 11:45amWeb
Show threadPrivacy InternationalMar 10, 2025

We are asking the UK government to confirm the existence of the TCN to allow public discussion, scrutiny and accountability of these actions.

No democracy should ever allow for decisions that have onerous consequences for billions of people to be taken in secret.

Show threadChristian de LarrinagaMar 10, 2025
@privacyint - I worry that gov.uk is thinking it can secure backdoors simply by calling the request let alone the backdoor an official secret. The fact the secret is and never could be maintained should expose how inadequate the assumptions are behind TCNs as a policy.