UK's demand for Apple backdoor should not be heard in secret, says court

Core Viewpoint - The U.K. government has lost its attempt to keep the details of a surveillance order against Apple confidential, leading to parts of the legal case being made public despite government objections [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - The Investigatory Powers Tribunal ruled that revealing the basic details of the case would not harm public interest or national security [2]. - This ruling marks the first public acknowledgment of the case, although specific details remain undisclosed [2]. - The case reportedly involves a U.K. legal demand for Apple to grant access to encrypted cloud data of any Apple customer globally [2][4]. Group 2: Apple's Response - Following the legal demand, Apple stated it could no longer offer Advanced Data Protection to users in the U.K., which allows for enhanced encryption of files [3]. - Apple has consistently maintained that it has "never built a backdoor or master key" for its products and services, and it will not do so in the future [6]. Group 3: Public and Political Reactions - There is a coalition of privacy advocates, news outlets, U.S. lawmakers, and intelligence officials calling for transparency in the legal hearings [5]. - Neither Apple nor the U.K. Home Office has commented on the specifics of the case due to national security regulations [4][5].