James Bond's backdoor

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As a tech journalist, I’ve been covering digital security and privacy for more than 30 years, and it bakes my noodle how often the same issues and arguments come up.

Take the “Crypto Wars” from the early ‘90s, when the U.S. government proposed a backdoor to the Clipper chip, a special encryption chip for modern telecommunications.

The feds argued that a backdoor was necessary for law enforcement and security services, and that giving the public access to unbreakable communications would lead to wanton criminality and terrorism.

But crypto experts argued — successfully at the time — that any backdoor undermined the whole system, and that it’d tank the burgeoning digital economy.

Their arguments were so strong, it seemed (at least to me), that the issue was settled.

But here we are in 2025 and the U.K. government is demanding a backdoor to iCloud backups so James Bond (i.e., British spy agencies) and police can monitor for illegal activity.

Not only is this mad, but the Brits reportedly want the backdoor to apply globally! What kind of LSD-laced tea are they drinking over there?

Luckily, Apple is unlikely to comply — at least on the global part. Tim Cook has long been a champion of strong privacy and security, and has called for federal laws to protect users from the “data industrial complex.”

British Apple users, however, might be SOL.

Also in today’s newsletter:

• I’m pretty excited about the upcoming iPhone SE, which might drop as soon as next week. Apple’s entry-level devices are extremely good lately (like the iPad 10 and new Mac mini), blending a ton of great high-end, trickle-down features at great prices. The new SE looks to continue that trend.

• What??? Sonos was planning a MagSafe speaker for iPhone, but scrapped it? Major bummer.

• Talking of — Sonos’ highly regarded headphones are $100 off. If I didn’t already have more than half-dozen headphones, I’d snap up a pair.

• If you cut the cord but still want to watch the Super Bowl, you can stream it live for free this Sunday. Here’s how.

• Our friends at CdkeySales are running a bunch of deals on Microsoft software for Valentine’s Day. Give your loved one the gift of Windows 11 Pro!

• Here’s something you should definitely know about: In iOS 18, you can transcribe audio to text right inside the Notes app, no dictation app or online service needed.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

^{A message from CdkeySales}

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