US intelligence head 'not told' about UK's secret Apple data demand

Tulsi Gabbard, the caput of US National Intelligence, says she was not informed successful beforehand astir the UK government's request to beryllium capable to entree Apple customers' encrypted information from anyplace successful the world.

In a letter, Ms Gabbard said she was seeking further accusation from the FBI and different US agencies.

She said if the reports were true, the UK government's actions amounted to an "egregious violation" of US citizens' privacy.

The Home Office notice, which cannot legally beryllium made public, was issued to Apple nether the UK's Investigatory Powers Act successful January.

Ms Gabbard added that she was besides seeking ineligible proposal implicit whether the UK had breached an statement betwixt it and the US not to request information belonging to each other's citizens.

In effect to the Home Office notice, past week Apple pulled its apical level privateness tool, Advanced Data Protection, from the UK market.

Advanced Data Protection, outer (ADP) means lone relationship holders tin presumption items specified arsenic photos oregon documents they person stored online done a process known arsenic end-to-end encryption.

Apple would person to interruption its encryption systems successful bid to comply with the UK authorities demand, arsenic presently it cannot spot information protected successful this mode truthful would beryllium incapable to stock it with instrumentality enforcement. This is thing it says it volition ne'er do.

Apple's UK users' information remains encrypted successful the UK but astatine a level which means it tin beryllium accessed by the tech elephantine if served with a warrant.

The missive to Senator Ron Whyden and Representative Andy Biggs which has present been published online, Tulsi Gabbard said she archetypal work astir the announcement successful the media and had not been informed beforehand by either the UK oregon by Apple.

Apple did not comment. The Home Office has been contacted by the BBC.