“US Lawmakers Push for Public Apple ‘Backdoor’ Hearing in UK Spy Court”

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A bipartisan group of American lawmakers is urging the head of the surveillance court in the United Kingdom to conduct an open hearing regarding Apple’s plans to challenge a secretive legal demand from the British government. Senator Ron Wyden and four other lawmakers expressed in a recent letter the importance of transparency in any discussions concerning the alleged order.

The lawmakers highlighted that the supposed demand from the UK government has prevented Apple, based in California, from exercising speech rights protected by the US constitution. This restriction also hinders the lawmakers’ ability to oversee government activities.

Reports surfaced earlier this year revealing that the UK government had secretly directed Apple to create a “backdoor” to access data stored in the cloud by any Apple user globally. Apple reportedly refused to comply with the order and withdrew its Advanced Data Protection iCloud data-encryption feature for UK customers.

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal in the UK, responsible for hearing legal cases related to surveillance powers in the country, is set to review a private petition related to Apple. Neither Apple nor the UK government has commented on the matter.

In addition to Apple, Google disclosed to Senator Wyden’s office that it would be legally restricted from acknowledging any technical capabilities notice from the UK government. Civil rights organizations, Liberty and Privacy International, have also contested the backdoor order, urging for a public hearing by the oversight body.

The exact number of companies targeted by the UK government’s technical demands remains undisclosed. The contentious issue has sparked concerns over privacy rights and government surveillance practices, prompting calls for transparency and accountability in the legal process.