Summary:
- The UK government may reverse its demand that Apple create a backdoor to encrypted data following U.S. diplomatic objections.
- Apple’s Advanced Data Protection was targeted by the UK order, leading Apple to disable the feature for UK users and launch a legal challenge.
- Support came from U.S. officials like Vice President J.D. Vance and President Donald Trump, who criticized the UK’s stance as authoritarian.
- The UK’s Home Office faced internal criticism, and other departments reportedly distanced themselves from the directive.
- Meta’s WhatsApp joined the opposing legal battle, emphasizing how undermining encryption affects user safety globally.
- A formal UK withdrawal has not been issued yet, but internal discussions suggest a quiet reversal may be imminent.
The UK government is expected to retreat from its demand that Apple create a backdoor into its encrypted data services, following sustained diplomatic pressure from Washington. The previously undisclosed request, made under powers granted by UK surveillance legislation, has caused tensions with the US administration and raised concerns about the long-term consequences for transatlantic technology partnerships.
At the heart of the dispute is Apple’s Advanced Data Protection feature—a security enhancement that extends end-to-end encryption to more user data stored on iCloud. In January, UK authorities secretly ordered Apple to disable the feature for users in the United Kingdom and design a capability to access encrypted data for law enforcement purposes. Apple complied with the restriction by switching off the feature in the UK but initiated a legal challenge, citing privacy risks and security vulnerabilities such a requirement might introduce.
The case escalated internationally when Apple reportedly sought assistance from US officials, including the White House. According to individuals familiar with the discussions, opposition from senior American officials played a decisive role in London’s apparent change of course. Vice President J.D. Vance is said to have raised the issue directly with UK counterparts, expressing strong dissatisfaction with what he viewed as an overreach.
President Donald Trump also weighed in, reportedly comparing the backdoor demand to measures often associated with authoritarian regimes. The comments, while not publicly confirmed by the White House, have added to internal UK concerns about lasting damage to its relationships with key American technology firms.
Inside the UK government, doubts about the Home Office’s position have grown. Officials from other departments have distanced themselves from the order and now describe it as a misstep. “This has become a problem of the Home Office’s own making,” one official said, noting that a reversal is being discussed to avoid further strain during a politically sensitive period.
The legal case between Apple and the UK government remains ongoing in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. Nonetheless, recent developments suggest an exit strategy is being formulated behind closed doors. “They’re looking for a way around it,” one person familiar with the matter noted.
The Investigatory Powers Act, sometimes referred to by critics as the “Snoopers’ Charter,” allows UK authorities to impose technical capability notices on telecommunications companies, including overseas firms. Such notices can require the removal of encryption features, though companies are often prohibited from acknowledging receipt of these orders. Until Apple challenged the legality of the measure, the scope and effect of the January notice remained confidential.
By complying initially, Apple had to disable a security feature designed to prevent even itself from accessing customer data. The backtrack meant that UK users now have weaker protections against hacking, data theft, and unauthorized government surveillance. “Users in the UK have been left less safe,” said an Apple spokesperson at the time of the decision. “We believe strongly that access to strong encryption should not depend on geography.”
The broader implications extend beyond Apple alone. In recent weeks, Meta’s messaging platform WhatsApp has joined the legal proceedings, adding weight to industry opposition. Advocates for privacy and cybersecurity argue that any attempt to undermine encryption inevitably weakens protections for everyone—creating potential openings not just for governments, but also for cybercriminals and adversarial states.
Despite no public confirmation of a formal withdrawal, multiple officials have indicated that a quiet reversal of the demand may happen within weeks, possibly ahead of a planned visit by President Trump to the UK later this month. That trip coincides with new regulatory deadlines related to online safety, increasing the urgency for resolution.
Background:
Here is how this event developed over time:
- January 2025: The UK Home Office secretly invoked the Investigatory Powers Act to compel Apple to create a global backdoor into encrypted iCloud data.
- Shortly after January 2025: Apple responded by disabling its Advanced Data Protection feature for users in the UK, reducing their level of encryption.
- Following the UK order: Apple filed a legal challenge against the UK’s demand at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.
- Subsequent weeks: Apple lobbied the US government, warning the demand threatened broader technology partnerships.
- Mid-2025: U.S. Vice President JD Vance and President Trump voiced strong objections, with Trump comparing the demand to Chinese surveillance tactics.
- By July 21, 2025: Despite growing pressure, the UK had not officially withdrawn the directive, though officials confirmed they were seeking a “way around it.”