This Needs Fixin'

Looks like it’s time to set aside that iPhone: the U.K. has demanded that Apple compromise iCloud backup encryption.

And Apple just announced that they will comply.

Now, in theory, the way they’ve said they’ll comply will only affect users that Apple thinks are in Britain but that’s problematic.

Firstly because Apple doesn’t actually know where the user is; they just have a guess based on the user’s Internet address.

Secondly because breaking a system for one set of users very rarely manages to stay limited to just those users.

And lastly because the way the U.K. law is written, recipients of these demands are actually forbidden from even mentioning them to the public.

So while it was leaked several days ago that Apple had received the demand, Apple was forbidden from discussing it and their announcement today that they will be compromising encryption for users in Britain did not actually mention the government at all.

I’d like to say something like “this is what comes from not writing down your constitution” here.

But it wouldn’t be true.

It is true that the U.K. does not have a written constitution, and that that’s a huge problem.

But it’s also true that the U.S. has similar laws, that blatantly violate the written U.S. constitution, but that the courts seem to be quite happy with. (Do a search for national security letter some time. At least those don’t let the government demand that you change your tech for them but they have the same secrecy demands on them.)

So it’s probably time to stop using Apple products.

Even if only for a while.

Get a used Android phone, somewhere generic like eBay or Craigs list. As a bonus, this will cost way less than an iPhone will. Pick a model from this list; the Google Pixel 4a 5G and 5 are good ones.

Install /e/os on it. This bit can be tricky, just so you know in advance, but you can do it.

Get a cheap tiny computer, like a Rasberry Pi, and install the /e/os cloud service on it and set your new (used) phone to talk to that service.

And there you are: a private phone with your own private backend service. One where you control what data it stores and how.

Of course, it’s all way more complicated than I’m making it look there.

But it’s not too difficult; someone with basic computer ability going into it can learn how to do this for themselves.

And it looks like doing stuff for yourself is where this is all heading.

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