The UK government has issued a renewed demand for Apple to provide backdoor access to encrypted iCloud data specifically belonging to British users. This marks the government’s second attempt in 2025 to compel the US-based tech giant to grant law enforcement access to sensitive, encrypted data stored in Apple’s cloud services. The renewed move comes amid ongoing legal battles and diplomatic tensions surrounding privacy, user security, and government surveillance powers.
Background to the UK Government’s Demand
Earlier in 2025, the UK Home Office served Apple with a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) requiring the company to enable government access to encrypted iCloud backups. This initial order sought worldwide access to all iCloud user data, regardless of geographic location, sparking a diplomatic dispute with the United States government. The US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, publicly stated in August 2025 that the UK had agreed to drop its global demand following pressure from the Trump administration. However, the UK government maintained a scaled-back but active demand limited solely to British citizens’ encrypted data, triggering fresh controversy.
Apple’s Resistance and Legal Challenge
In response to these demands, Apple took the rare step of withdrawing its popular Advanced Data Protection (ADP) service in the UK in February 2025 rather than weaken its encryption standards. ADP had offered end-to-end encryption such that even Apple could not access users’ iCloud backups, photos, and notes. Maintaining its strong stance on user privacy, Apple states it “has never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will.”
Apple promptly filed a legal challenge with the UK’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), an independent judicial body that oversees government surveillance requests. The case scheduled for 2026 includes support from privacy campaign groups like Privacy International and Liberty, which argue the government’s orders constitute a dangerous precedent threatening global cybersecurity and user privacy.
Privacy and Security Concerns
Privacy advocates warn that creating any backdoor to encrypted systems compromises security for all users globally, not just those in the UK. Introducing vulnerabilities intended for legitimate government use can be exploited by hostile actors and cybercriminals. Caroline Wilson Palow, legal director of Privacy International, emphasized that “If Apple breaks end-to-end encryption for the UK, it breaks it for everyone.” The demand potentially exposes categories of user data such as encryption keys, photographs, device metadata, and message content, raising fears over mass surveillance and data protection.
Diplomatic and Policy Implications
The diplomatic row between the UK and the US has centered on concerns that the UK law enforcement’s demands would undermine America’s commitment to protecting the data of its citizens from foreign surveillance. The UK insists the powers it seeks are required for investigating serious crimes like terrorism and child exploitation, and that each request for access requires judicial oversight. Nevertheless, the controversy highlights the ongoing global challenge of balancing national security with digital privacy rights in an interconnected world
