Trump Admin Claims It Persuaded UK to Drop Apple Backdoor Demand
▼ Summary
– The UK has dropped its demand for Apple to create a backdoor for government access to encrypted data, as stated by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
– Gabbard claimed this decision resulted from US-UK cooperation to protect Americans’ private data and civil liberties.
– The UK government had previously issued a secret order under the Investigatory Powers Act, which Apple appealed and refused to comply with by removing iCloud’s Advanced Data Protection feature from the UK market.
– The UK government has not officially confirmed or denied dropping the demand, citing a policy of not commenting on operational matters.
– A US official reported that Vice President JD Vance intervened during his UK holiday to negotiate the withdrawal of the backdoor order to Apple.
The United Kingdom has reportedly withdrawn its controversial demand for Apple to create a government-accessible backdoor into encrypted user data, following diplomatic intervention from U.S. officials. According to U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the decision came after intensive bilateral discussions aimed at protecting American citizens’ privacy and constitutional rights.
Gabbard announced the development in a social media post, stating she had worked closely with British counterparts to safeguard civil liberties. She emphasized that the initial UK mandate would have compromised the encrypted data of U.S. users and represented a significant overreach. While the UK government has not publicly verified the claim, it maintains a policy of not commenting on operational intelligence matters.
Earlier this year, British authorities issued a secret Technical Capability Notice to Apple under the Investigatory Powers Act, legislation often criticized as the “Snoopers’ Charter.” The order demanded that Apple weaken its end-to-end encryption protocols. In response, the tech giant refused to comply and instead pulled iCloud’s Advanced Data Protection feature from the UK market, a move that limited local access to enhanced security options.
Media reports suggest that Vice President JD Vance played a key role in the diplomatic effort. While on a private visit to the UK, Vance reportedly engaged in high-level talks that led to the withdrawal of the order. A U.S. official cited in the Financial Times described the outcome as a “mutually beneficial understanding,” noting that the British government agreed to revoke the directive.
Apple has not yet received official confirmation from either government regarding the policy reversal. The company has long defended strong encryption as essential to user security and privacy, resisting repeated government pressure to introduce backdoors. This incident marks another chapter in the ongoing global debate over privacy, surveillance, and the role of technology companies in protecting user data.
(Source: Ars Technica)