Apple attacks UK Snoopers' Charter

Technology giant files submission to parliamentary commission claiming anti-terror and crime initiative would ‘immobilise' parts of the tech sector

Apple is biting back at the government's draft Investigatory Powers Bill by filing a submission to a parliamentary commission claiming the initiative will damage the tech sector.

Launched in November, the bill is set to change how police and intelligence agencies access communications, and means comms firms will be legally obliged to help agents hack into smartphones and computers to access private data if the owner is under suspicion.

It is not the first time Apple has criticised the bill, dubbed the ‘Snoopers' Charter'.

Last month CEO Tim Cook (pictured) urged the government to rethink the charter, claiming a weakening of encryption could have ‘dire consequences'. He said at the time that any back door is a "back door for everyone".

According to an article on FT.com, Apple is leading a fightback from the Silicon Valley tech community with its submission, claiming the move would "immobilise substantial portions of the tech sector and spark serious international conflicts."

The document added: "It would also likely be the catalyst for other countries to enact similar laws, paralysing multinational corporations under the weight of what could be dozens or hundreds of contradictory country-specific laws."

The FT article also claimed Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo and Microsoft are jointly set to submit evidence to the same parliamentary committee, outlining similar concerns.