[bitontheslide]

Apple has criticised powers in the Online Safety Bill that could be used to force encrypted messaging tools like iMessage, WhatsApp and Signal to scan messages for child abuse material.

Its intervention comes as 80 organisations and tech experts have written to Technology Minister Chloe Smith urging a rethink on the powers.

Apple told the BBC the bill should be amended to protect encryption.

The BBC has approached the government for comment.

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) stops anyone but the sender and recipient reading the message.

Police, the government and some high-profile child protection charities maintain the tech - used in apps such as WhatsApp and Apple's iMessage - prevents law enforcement and the firms themselves from identifying the sharing of child sexual abuse material.

But in a statement Apple said: "End-to-end encryption is a critical capability that protects the privacy of journalists, human rights activists, and diplomats.

"It also helps everyday citizens defend themselves from surveillance, identity theft, fraud, and data breaches. The Online Safety Bill poses a serious threat to this protection, and could put UK citizens at greater risk.

"Apple urges the government to amend the bill to protect strong end-to-end encryption for the benefit of all."

The government has previously said: "Tech companies have a moral duty to ensure they are not blinding themselves and law enforcement to the unprecedented levels of child sexual abuse on their platforms."

And Home Office ministers have been highly critical of Facebook's roll-out of the tech for messaging.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-66028773