The UK government has told Apple to build a backdoor into its iCloud service to give officials access to encrypted backups belonging to British users, according to the Financial Times.
The order, issued in early September under the Investigatory Powers Act, is limited to UK citizens’ data. A previous demand in January had sought global access, sparking tensions with Washington and leading Apple to pull its Advanced Data Protection feature from the UK.
Apple criticized the move in a statement, saying it was “gravely disappointed” that stronger protections remain unavailable to British customers. “We have never built a back door or master key to any of our products or services and we never will,” the company said.
The Home Office declined to confirm the order but said it would “take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe.”
Privacy campaigners warned the change could weaken security worldwide. Caroline Wilson Palow of Privacy International said, “If Apple breaks end-to-end encryption for the UK, it breaks it for everyone.”
The dispute has also drawn attention in Washington. Senior U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance and intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, previously pressured the UK to withdraw its global request, warning it risked undermining an agreement between the two countries.
The case is expected to fuel legal challenges in the UK, with hearings planned next year. This would be a dangerous precedent and it’s good that Apple is putting up a fight again.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
