Apple threatens to remove iMessage and FaceTime from the UK over Online Safety Bill

In response to the UK government’s proposed Online Safety Bill, BBC reports that Apple has declared its intention to remove certain services, including FaceTime and iMessage, from the country rather than compromise user security. The bill, which aims to update the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) of 2016, seeks to give the Home Office the authority to demand immediate disabling of security features in messaging services without public disclosure.

One of the key concerns raised by the bill is the requirement for messaging services to seek clearance from the Home Office before releasing security updates to customers. Additionally, the bill proposes measures to force encrypted messaging services to scan for potential child abuse images, arguing that law enforcement faces difficulties due to end-to-end encryption.

The UK government has launched an eight-week consultation period for the proposed amendments to the IPA. Apple outlined its objections in nine pages, including the requirement to inform the Home Office of security changes before release, the global compliance burden for non-UK-based companies, and the immediate action mandate upon receiving a demand to disable a feature.

The tech giant has asserted that it will not compromise on security for one country, potentially weakening products for all users. It also emphasized that some security changes would necessitate software updates, making secrecy impractical. Apple strongly believes that the proposed amendments to the IPA pose a significant threat to data security and information privacy for UK users and people worldwide.

WhatsApp and Signal have also voiced their opposition to the Online Safety Bill. Signal is threatening to leave the UK as well if the bill passes.