According to the US Director of National Intelligence, the UK has withdrawn its contentious request for access to the data of Apple users worldwide.
In a post on X, Tulsi Gabbard said that the UK had decided to retract its order for the tech giant to provide a "backdoor" that "would have enabled access to American citizens' private encrypted information and encroached on our civil liberties."
The BBC reported that Apple has not yet received any official communication from either the US or UK governments. A UK government spokesperson said, "We do not comment on operational issues, such as confirming or denying the existence of such notices. We've long had joint security and intelligence services with the United States to combat the most significant threats, including the role played by fast-moving technology in enabling those attacks."
The UK's Initial Request and Apple's Response
In December, Apple was formally notified to provide encrypted information from its customers around the world. However, Apple does not have access to customer data protected by its toughest security system, Advanced Data Protection (ADP), which prevents anyone other than the user from accessing their files. To comply with the order, Apple would have had to break its own encryption protocols.
Apple stated that it has "never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services, and we never will." In response, the company withdrew its ADP service from the UK market and initiated legal action to challenge the order. A tribunal hearing was scheduled for early 2026, but it is now unclear if it will proceed.
Due to the secrecy surrounding the government order, which was issued under the Investigatory Powers Act, it is not known if other tech firms have received similar requests. WhatsApp, which is used by millions of Britons, has stated that no such request has been made.
Privacy Advocates' Reaction
The notice, which neither Apple nor the Home Office has ever confirmed, angered privacy campaigners who are now cautiously optimistic about the news.
"If true, this decision is highly welcome," said Sam Grant of the civil rights group Liberty, which, along with Privacy International, had launched separate legal challenges against the UK government.
Grant described the development of a backdoor into people's personal information as a "reckless and potentially unlawful move by the government." He added, "This will pose a major threat to our personal and national security, particularly because we know it will leave politicians, campaigners, and minority groups especially vulnerable." He warned, "As long as this power exists within the Investigatory Powers Act, there is a chance that any future government will also attempt to use it to build a backdoor into other end-to-end encrypted services that we all use."
Similarly, Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, expressed apprehension. "The United Kingdom's encryption capabilities are still on the statute books, and they pose a significant threat to user safety and protection against criminal abuse of our personal information," he said.
Another factor in this issue is the Data Access Agreement, a legal treaty between the US and UK governments that allows both countries to share data for law enforcement purposes.
