The United Kingdom has agreed to drop its demand for Apple to provide a “backdoor” to access American citizens’ encrypted data, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced. This decision marks the end of a months-long transatlantic privacy row between the UK and tech giants.
Gabbard stated that the reversal was the result of months of engagement with the UK to “ensure Americans’ private data remains private and our constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected”.
The UK government had sought to compel Apple to provide blanket access to cloud data belonging to users around the world, citing its Investigatory Powers Act.
However, Apple had refused to comply, arguing that creating a backdoor would compromise the security and privacy of its users globally.
In February, Apple announced it could no longer offer advanced data protection, its highest-level security feature, in the UK.
This decision came after UK security officials secretly ordered the tech giant to provide access to encrypted user data. The order was reportedly made under the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act, which allows authorities to compel companies to remove encryption.
Apple’s decision to disable Advanced Data Protection for UK users was seen as a compromise, as the company limited its own security features in the region rather than creating a backdoor.
However, some data categories, such as health data, passwords, and iCloud messages, would remain end-to-end encrypted by default.
The UK’s decision to drop the demand for a backdoor has been welcomed by privacy experts and civil liberties advocates.
John Pane, chair of Electronic Frontiers Australia, said, “were Apple to create a backdoor to its encrypted user data, it would create a significant risk which could be exploited by cybercriminals and authoritarian governments.”
Pane emphasized the importance of encryption technologies for individuals and groups to safeguard their security and privacy.
The UK government’s spokesperson said that London and Washington have longstanding joint security and intelligence arrangements that include safeguards to protect privacy.
“We will continue to build on those arrangements, and we will also continue to maintain a strong security framework to ensure that we can continue to pursue terrorists and serious criminals operating in the UK,” the spokesperson added.
US leaders, including Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump, had expressed concerns over the UK’s demand for a backdoor.
Vance had been vocal about his opposition to weakening encryption, stating that creating a backdoor would be “crazy”. The US pressure likely played a significant role in the UK’s decision to drop the demand.
The UK’s climbdown on encryption comes amid ongoing debates about the balance between national security and individual privacy.
As governments around the world grapple with the challenges of regulating tech companies, this development highlights the importance of protecting encryption and digital rights.