President Trump criticized the UK government’s request for Apple user data, likening it to Chinese practices. He informed Prime Minister Keir Starmer at their meeting that such demands are not acceptable. Concurrently, Apple halted a cloud security feature for UK users in light of these demands, while U.S. intelligence reviews the legality under the CLOUD Act.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concerns regarding the UK government’s request for Apple to provide access to its user data, equating it to practices typically associated with China. During his interview with The Spectator published on February 28, Trump remarked on his discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, stating he advised that such actions were unacceptable. This meeting occurred at the White House on February 27, where they also negotiated on matters pertaining to Ukraine and a bilateral trade agreement.
In response to the UK government’s demands, Apple recently discontinued a security encryption feature for cloud data specifically for users in the UK. This decision marked an unprecedented reaction to interference in user privacy. Moreover, following the UK’s request, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, indicated that a review is underway to determine if the UK’s actions contravened the CLOUD Act, which prohibits the issuance of data demands that infringe on the rights of U.S. citizens.
In summary, President Trump’s comparison of the UK’s demand for Apple user data to Chinese surveillance highlights serious concerns over privacy and governmental overreach. Apple’s withdrawal of a security feature illustrates the drastic measures being taken in response to these demands, while the ongoing investigation into the legality of the UK’s actions under the CLOUD Act signifies the complexities involved in international data privacy regulations.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
