If the UK Home Office rejected an update, it could not be made public or distributed in any other nation under the proposed changes to the current legislation.
The Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) 2016 is undergoing an overhaul by the government.
The Home Office stated that while it was in favor of tech that prioritizes privacy, it also had to ensure national security.
A representative for the government stated: “We have always been clear that we support technological innovation and private and secure communications technologies, including end-to-end encryption, but this cannot come at a cost to public safety.”
The House of Lords will discuss the proposed amendments tomorrow.
Apple claims the UK government is taking “unprecedented overreach” in this regard.
“We’re deeply concerned the proposed amendments to the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) now before Parliament place users’ privacy and security at risk,” stated Apple in a statement.
“It’s an unprecedented overreach by the government and, if enacted, the UK could attempt to secretly veto new user protections globally preventing us from ever offering them to customers.”
The Home Office stated to the BBC: “It is critical that decisions about lawful access, which protect the country from child sexual abusers and terrorists, are taken by those who are democratically accountable and approved by Parliament.”
Apple has retaliated against the Act before, calling it a “snoopers charter” in the past.
