UK Drops Mandate on Apple’s Backdoor Access to US iCloud Data
The UK government has abandoned its demand for Apple to provide backdoor access to the encrypted iCloud data of American users, following months of negotiations between the two countries.
In January, reports emerged that the UK was seeking to lift end-to-end encryption for iCloud and create a secret “back door” for authorities to view user data. Apple made this request public in February by temporarily disabling the Advanced Data Protection feature for users in the country.
The company took further action in April, filing a complaint with the UK’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal to block the order. The move drew criticism from some U.S. lawmakers who argued it would violate user privacy and create vulnerabilities for cyberattacks.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed the news, stating that the UK has agreed to drop its mandate requiring Apple to provide a “back door” to users’ encrypted data.
Reuters reports that the statement comes after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with President Trump in Washington this week to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war. However, it remains unclear whether the UK will abandon the measure entirely or just avoid accessing US citizens’ data.
A spokesperson for the UK government told Reuters that it will “always take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe.” Apple has yet to provide further clarification on the matter.
Two UK government officials anonymously revealed to the Financial Times last month that the Trump administration was pressuring the UK to back off the mandate, or risk jeopardizing future tech agreements between the two nations.
We inquired about Apple’s plans to reinstate Advanced Data Protection in the UK. Advanced Data Protection encrypts iCloud backups, photos, notes, reminders, voice memos, and other data, while storing encryption keys solely on users’ trusted devices.
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