Apple Challenges UK Government's Demand for iCloud Backdoor
Apple is challenging a new legal demand from the U.K. government to access encrypted user data stored in its iCloud service, according to reports. The company has filed a complaint with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal after receiving a 'technical capability notice' last year—a secret order requiring Apple to provide access even when data is end-to-end encrypted. This follows an earlier dispute between Apple and U.K. authorities that began in early 2025, where London issued a similar demand for iCloud backups. That request was later dropped after intervention from the Trump administration. In response, Apple removed Advanced Data Protection (ADP) options for UK users to prevent such access. The latest challenge highlights ongoing tensions between privacy advocates and government surveillance demands. Critics argue that these orders effectively require Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted systems.
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Topics: Advanced Data Protection Apple encryption iCloud backdoor privacy Security