The UK government is reportedly preparing to withdraw its demand for Apple to provide a backdoor to encrypted iCloud data, according to multiple unnamed UK officials cited by the Financial Times. This potential reversal is attributed not to legal or privacy considerations, but to significant pressure from the US government during ongoing trade negotiations.
The original demand, issued as a secret order in January, sought access to files uploaded by users worldwide. In response, Apple ceased offering its Advanced Data Protection (end-to-end encrypted iCloud storage) service in the UK and launched an appeal against the order. Apple achieved a preliminary victory in April, securing the right to openly discuss the case. More recently, WhatsApp announced its intention to present evidence in support of Apple’s position.
US opposition, particularly from Vice-President JD Vance, has been influential. One UK official stated, “The Home Office is basically going to have to back down,” noting Vance’s strong opposition and the potential violation of the Cloud Act treaty between the two nations. Another official explained the UK’s desire to avoid “anything that looks to the US vice-president like a free-speech issue.” A third official described the UK as having “its back against the wall,” acknowledging the situation as “a problem of the Home Office’s own making” and that efforts are underway to find a resolution.
