United Kingdom
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Privacy Pulse
Notable privacy and internet-freedom events from the past four years, most recent first. Tap any entry for more.
Online Safety Act Age Verification In Force
The UK's Online Safety Act age-verification requirements took effect, requiring ID documents or facial scans for access to a wide range of online content.
UK Reportedly Orders Apple to Break iCloud Encryption
The Washington Post reported the UK Home Office served Apple with a Technical Capability Notice demanding a backdoor to encrypted iCloud backups globally, prompting Apple to withdraw Advanced Data Protection from UK users.
Apple Withdraws Advanced Data Protection in UK
Apple removed its Advanced Data Protection (end-to-end encrypted iCloud) feature for UK users rather than comply with the UK government's demand for a backdoor.
Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act Passed
Parliament passed amendments to the Investigatory Powers Act expanding bulk personal dataset powers and adding new notification requirements that critics argued could effectively give the UK veto power over software security updates globally.
British Library Ransomware Attack
A ransomware attack on the British Library exposed employee data and disabled digital services for months, with the Rhysida group publishing stolen information after the library refused to pay.
Online Safety Act Receives Royal Assent
The UK's Online Safety Act became law, imposing duties on platforms to remove illegal content and including contested provisions that could require scanning of end-to-end encrypted messages.
Electoral Commission Discloses Major Data Breach
The UK Electoral Commission revealed that hostile actors had accessed the personal data of roughly 40 million voters in a 2021-2022 cyberattack, later attributed to China.
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