The U.S. Director of National Intelligence has stated that the UK has retracted its controversial demand for access to global Apple users’ data when necessary. Tulsi Gabbard announced on X that the UK agreed to drop its request for a “back door” that would allow access to the encrypted data of American citizens, potentially infringing on civil liberties.
The BBC reports that Apple has not yet received any official communication from either the U.S. or UK governments. A spokesperson for the UK government stated, “We do not comment on operational matters, including confirming or denying the existence of such notices.”
“We have long had joint security and intelligence arrangements with the U.S. to address serious threats like terrorism and child sexual abuse, including the role of technology in enabling these threats,” the spokesperson added.
In December, the UK issued a formal notice demanding access to encrypted data from Apple users worldwide. However, Apple cannot access data from customers who use its strongest security feature, Advanced Data Protection (ADP), which prevents anyone but the user from viewing their files. To comply with the UK’s demands, Apple would have had to compromise its encryption methods.
Apple stated, “We have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services, and we never will.” In response to the demand, Apple withdrew ADP from the UK market and initiated legal proceedings to challenge the order, which is set to be heard in early 2026. It remains unclear if this legal process will continue.
Due to the secrecy surrounding the government order issued under the Investigatory Powers Act, it is unknown whether other tech companies have received similar demands. Messaging platform WhatsApp, used by millions in the UK, reported that it has not received such a request.
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“Hugely Welcome”
If true, this decision has been met with cautious optimism by privacy advocates. Sam Grant from the civil rights group Liberty said, “If true, this decision is hugely welcome,” emphasizing that creating a backdoor to citizens’ private data would be a “reckless and potentially unlawful move.”
He added that such a backdoor would pose significant threats to personal and national security, particularly for politicians, campaigners, and minority groups. “As long as this power exists within the Investigatory Powers Act, any future government could attempt to use it to create a backdoor into other end-to-end encrypted services.”
Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, echoed these concerns, stating that the UK’s powers to undermine encryption remain a serious risk to user security.
Democrat Senator Ron Wyden remarked that if the UK has indeed backed down, “that’s a win for everyone who values secure communications.” However, he noted that the details of any agreement are crucial.
Currently, there is a legal framework known as the Data Access Agreement between the U.S. and UK governments, which allows for data sharing for law enforcement purposes.
SOURCE: BBC
