UK Issues Another Demand to Apple to Access Users’ Data
The UK government has issued a new order to Apple seeking access to encrypted iCloud backups of British citizens, according to a report from the Financial Times. The order, known as a “technical capability notice” (TCN), is the second demand the Home Office has sent to the company this year.
The latest instruction reportedly narrows the scope of an earlier order, which sought access to the data of Apple users worldwide, including in the United States.
That earlier attempt drew objections from Washington. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called it a “clear and egregious violation of Americans’ privacy and civil liberties,” while President Donald Trump compared the demand to “something that you hear about with China.” In August, Gabbard confirmed the UK had withdrawn its worldwide request following discussions with U.S. officials.
Apple has not confirmed the existence of the new order but reiterated its stance on encryption. “As we have said many times before, we have never built a back door or master key to any of our products or services and we never will,” the company said previously. A spokesperson tells Tech Crunch that Apple is “gravely disappointed” it cannot currently offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the UK.
ADP is an optional feature that provides end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups, ensuring that only the account holder can access their files. Apple withdrew the feature for new UK users in February following the initial order, and existing users will eventually lose access as well. Messaging services like iMessage and FaceTime remain end-to-end encrypted.
The Home Office has declined to confirm or deny the existence of either order. “We do not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any such notices,” a spokesperson tells the BBC. “We will always take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe.”
The legal dispute over the first order is ongoing. Apple appealed to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which reviews government surveillance powers. The Home Office initially sought to keep the proceedings secret, but a judge ruled in April that the case could not be held entirely behind closed doors.
Privacy advocates have warned that weakening Apple’s encryption for British users could have global consequences. As Caroline Wilson Palow, legal director at Privacy International, tells the BBC: “By using a secret order to undermine the security of Apple products, the UK Government is making security harder for us all.”
Privacy International also argues that any backdoor created in the UK could be exploited elsewhere: “The resulting vulnerability can be exploited by hostile states, criminals and other bad actors the world over.”
Apple has maintained that strengthening encryption is vital in light of rising cyber threats. “Enhancing the security of cloud storage with end-to-end encryption is more urgent than ever before,” the company says, adding that it remains “committed to offering our users the highest level of security for their personal data and are hopeful that we will be able to do so in the future in the United Kingdom.”
A tribunal hearing on Apple’s appeal is scheduled for January 2026.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
