The UK government has banned ministers from wearing Apple Watch at cabinet meetings, amid fear that the devices might be compromised by foreign intelligence agents.
According to an inside source cited by British newspaper The Telegraph, UK officials are afraid that hackers might use the devices to spy on secret cabinet meetings, in order to gather intelligence on Britain’s upcoming political moves.
The UK government had previously barred ministers from coming to cabinet meetings with mobile phones a few years back, under the same fears.
Michael Gove, former Secretary of State for Education and later Secretary of State for Justice, was a famous Apple Watch wearer under former Prime Minister David Cameron.
While The Telegraph mentioned only Apple Watch, it is likely that other types of smartwatches might be forbidden as well. Despite sales declining for the first time this summer, smartwatches remain a must-have accessory in many social circles.
“The Russians are trying to hack everything,” the source said, revealing the UK government’s fear of Russian-backed hackers, who have been lately faulted for numerous hacks, including the US Democratic Party, US voter registration databases, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and more.
Of course, the UK also fears other countries as well, such as North Korea, China, and Iran, who are also often cited as the source of various cyber-espionage campaigns.