The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), along with over 100 civil society organizations, companies, and cybersecurity experts, has joined the Global Encryption Coalition (GEC) in submitting a letter to British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. The letter urges the UK Home Office to retract its request for Apple to create a backdoor into its end-to-end encrypted services.
According to the coalition, this demand poses a significant threat to global privacy and security. They argue that any backdoor access intended for law enforcement could also be exploited by cybercriminals and foreign entities.
"The ongoing damage of the Salt Typhoon hack shows how severe the risks of leaving communications and data systems vulnerable can be," states the letter. It emphasizes that strong encryption is essential for protecting sensitive data and communications.
The coalition warns that the UK's actions could compromise citizen safety by exposing private data and conversations to potential theft or surveillance. "We hope the UK Home Office will heed the warning of experts and reconsider this decision," they add.
Published on February 13, 2025, the letter currently bears 109 signatures but may receive additional support in due course. The full text and list of signatories are available on GEC’s website.
