UK Government's Online Safety Bill Puts Apple's iMessage Future In Doubt

The UK Government has refuted claims of retracting its Online Safety Bill, causing uncertainty over the future of Apple Inc.’s AAPL iMessage service in the country.

According to Reuters, the government had previously asked Apple to disable end-to-end encryption on iMessage for security reasons. However, a recent report suggested that it was planning to abandon this requirement, a claim the government has now denied.

The Online Safety Bill originally demanded messaging services like iMessage and WhatsApp allow scanning of messages for illicit content. The Financial Times reported that the UK Government decided not to employ controversial powers to scrutinize messaging apps until it becomes “technically feasible”.

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Despite this report, UK Technology Minister Michelle Donelan insisted on Times Radio that the government has not changed its stance on encryption, stating, “We haven’t changed the bill at all”.

On September 6, the EU identified Apple as a digital gatekeeper under its new Digital Markets Act. This could potentially restrict iMessage operations in mainland Europe while remaining functional in the UK.

The UK Government’s main motive behind the Online Safety Bill was to safeguard children and detect illegal child sexual abuse content. However, compelling a firm like Apple, known for user privacy and end-to-end encryption, to alter its ethos has proven challenging.

Apple, which recently abandoned its plans to scan for CSAM material due to concerns of intrusion and misuse, hopes to resolve the UK encryption dispute, especially in light of potential significant operational changes resulting from the EU’s landmark designation.

Photo via Shutterstock

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