U.S. intelligence leader alleges UK succumbed to pressure regarding Apple data access request
In a significant turn of events, the UK government has officially dropped its demand for Apple to provide backdoor access to encrypted iPhone cloud data. This marks a significant reversal from its January 2025 order that required Apple to weaken its encryption to allow government access.
The decision follows intervention and negotiations involving U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, and was publicly noted by Tulsi Gabbard, former director of national intelligence under President Donald Trump. The move was widely read as a warning shot to other tech firms tempted to base sensitive services in Britain.
In February, Apple pulled its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK, signaling it would rather walk away than give the government a skeleton key to iCloud. The move was followed by reports that the White House was leaning on its ally to row back, concerned that any UK-mandated backdoor would compromise Americans' data as well.
The Home Office slapped Apple with a TCN, the first known attempt to force a global platform to deliberately weaken its own products under the Investigatory Powers Act. However, the UK government has reportedly abandoned its attempt to force Apple to weaken iPhone encryption.
Apple has maintained its stance against creating backdoors that could compromise customer data security. In the past, the tech giant has stated that creating backdoors for "good guys" is just creating vulnerabilities for everyone. Cupertino had taken the unusual step of challenging the notice at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in March, setting up a secretive legal battle over the future of encryption.
The Home Office has not confirmed the news, but a UK official told The Financial Times that they will not force Apple to provide a backdoor for encrypted data. US lawmakers urged the Trump administration to oppose the UK's order for an Apple iCloud backdoor, and if the UK refused to reverse its demand, the US must reconsider cybersecurity agreements.
The UK's backdoor obsession may not have been buried for good, as UK ministers are still convinced they should be able to read the nation's private messages. However, for now, it seems that Apple has successfully defended its users' privacy rights.
Despite not immediately responding to questions about the reported concession from the UK government, Apple's actions speak louder than words. The tech giant has shown its commitment to protecting its users' data and standing up against government demands that compromise security.
In conclusion, the UK government's attempt to force Apple to weaken its encryption has been thwarted, thanks in part to intervention from U.S. officials and pressure from US lawmakers. This is a victory for privacy rights and a testament to Apple's unwavering commitment to its users' security.
