WhatsApp backs Apple in UK data privacy battle

WhatsApp has publicly declared its support for Apple in a high-stakes legal dispute against the UK Home Office concerning access to global user data.

The messaging app, owned by Meta, told the BBC that the case “could set a dangerous precedent” by encouraging other nations to demand weaknesses in encryption, a fundamental technology safeguarding user privacy.

The legal clash erupted after the Home Office issued a notice earlier this year, reportedly demanding the right to access data from Apple’s global customer base for national security interests. Critics, including Apple, argue that such a request compromises the privacy of millions of users worldwide.

WhatsApp’s boss, Will Cathcart, emphasized the company’s commitment to challenging any attempts to compromise their services’ encryption, stating: “WhatsApp would challenge any law or government request that seeks to weaken the encryption of our services.”

WhatsApp’s intervention, formalized by an application to submit evidence to the court, escalates an already high-profile dispute between the UK government and US tech giants. The row intensified in February when it emerged ministers sought access to information protected by Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP) system, leading to Apple’s legal action and outrage from US politicians who viewed it as a “dangerous attack on US cybersecurity.”

The Home Office maintains its “first priority” is public safety, aiming to protect citizens from serious crimes like child abuse and terrorism while still safeguarding privacy. However, tech companies argue that creating a “backdoor” into end-to-end encryption (E2EE) not only compromises privacy, but also creates vulnerabilities which could be exploited by criminals.

Civil liberties groups, such as Open Rights Group, have welcomed WhatsApp’s involvement, highlighting the “breadth of concern about the threat to privacy and security.”

BBC

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