UK Drops Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor After Pressure From U.S.

The UK government has agreed to drop its demand that Apple build an encryption backdoor into its user data, according to a new announcement from U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The update, posted to X, follows a tense, months-long dispute between the UK Home Office and Apple over user privacy.

The dispute kicked off earlier this year after the UK government reportedly used its Investigatory Powers Act to secretly order Apple to build a global backdoor for iCloud data. The directive, known as a technical capability notice, was not for a single user's account but a blanket requirement for access to encrypted data for all Apple users worldwide.

In response, Apple pulled its Advanced Data Protection feature for users in the United Kingdom rather than compromise its encryption. The company also initiated a legal challenge at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a case the UK government unsuccessfully attempted to keep entirely secret.


The UK's move quickly drew significant criticism from U.S. officials. In February, Director Gabbard expressed "grave concern" about the order, calling it a potential "egregious violation" of Americans' privacy and noting it could breach the U.S.-UK CLOUD Act data-sharing agreement. More recently, reports indicated that the Trump administration had directly pressured the UK to abandon the mandate, with President Trump likening the order to something "that you hear about with China."

In her post on X, Gabbard confirmed the resolution, stating:

"Over the past few months, I've been working closely with our partners in the UK, alongside @POTUS and @VP, to ensure Americans' private data remains private and our Constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected. As a result, the UK has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a 'back door' that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties."

This development appears to bring an end to a contentious chapter in the global encryption debate. With the UK government backing down, Apple's legal challenge at the tribunal now seems likely to be resolved, and the company may look to restore its full security features for users in the region.


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