UK Has Dropped Apple Backdoor Request, US Spy Chief Says – Source: www.techrepublic.com

The UK has withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) encryption system. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed the news on X, saying it came after months of collaboration between the two governments.

“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,” she wrote.

UK’s original request and legal framework

Data stored under ADP offers the highest level of protection the company provides, keeping information hidden even from Apple itself. In February, reports surfaced that the UK’s Home Secretary had invoked a Technical Capability Notice under the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, seeking a backdoor into encrypted iCloud worldwide, including files covered by ADP.

The law gives law enforcement the power to compel companies to provide access to data during investigations while barring them from publicly disclosing such requests. Apple was effectively under a gag order and could not voice objections.

At the time, Gabbard warned the UK’s demands may violate the CLOUD Act, which limits foreign governments from directly accessing encrypted data stored by American companies.

Apple’s response and regional limits

Apple responded by disabling access to ADP encryption for iPhones, iPads, and Macs registered in the UK. The company is expected to revisit that restriction once it receives formal confirmation of the UK’s reversal, which according to the BBC, has not yet been delivered.

In March, senior UK officials privately told their US counterparts that the request for access to encrypted iCloud data was limited to information tied to individuals already implicated in crimes such as terrorism, and not a sweeping demand to access anyone’s data under any circumstances.

Apple’s legal challenges

Despite those assurances, Apple appealed the UK’s order at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, arguing that compliance would jeopardise user privacy and set a dangerous precedent. The case was scheduled for hearing in early 2026.

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal denied the UK’s request to prevent details about the hearing from being published on its website, despite claims of national security concerns.

A spokesperson for the British government told Reuters that it would not comment on what Gabbard has said, but that Britain had long worked with the US to tackle security threats in both countries and that it “will always take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe.”

TechRepublic has contacted Apple for comment.

Apple’s history with government access disputes

In 2016, Apple refused the US government’s request to unlock the ‌iPhone‌ of a shooter in San Bernardino, California, citing concerns over compromising user privacy and setting a dangerous precedent for government access to encrypted devices.

Four years later, Apple was revealed to have dropped its project to enable end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups after the FBI raised concerns it would impede investigations. Nevertheless, Apple introduced ADP in 2022, allowing users to encrypt iCloud backups when enabled.

Apple will likely be required to comply with the UK’s new competition legislation, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, as it applies to mobile platforms.