The United Kingdom has dropped its bid to force Apple to provide a “back door” into encrypted data belonging to American users, according to Washington’s top intelligence official — ending months of transatlantic tension over privacy and surveillance.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Monday that the UK agreed to withdraw the requirement after sustained negotiations with Washington. She described the move as a victory for civil liberties.
“London’s proposal would have encroached on our civil liberties. Through months of engagement, we have ensured Americans’ private data remains private and our constitutional rights are protected,” Gabbard said.
The UK government declined to comment on the details but insisted it would continue to balance privacy with national security needs. “We will maintain a strong security framework to pursue terrorists and serious criminals operating in the UK,” a government spokesperson said.
The concession follows Apple’s February announcement that it could no longer offer its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK, its strongest form of encryption for cloud data. At the time, the move was widely linked to a reported order by British security agencies under the Investigatory Powers Act, which allows authorities to secretly compel firms to weaken or remove encryption through “technical capability notices.”
It remains unclear whether Apple will now restore the feature for UK customers. The company did not respond to requests for comment.
Privacy advocates welcomed the UK’s retreat but warned that wider surveillance laws remain intact. John Pane of Electronic Frontiers Australia said creating a back door would have been “a gift to cybercriminals and authoritarian governments,” while Big Brother Watch’s interim director, Rebecca Vincent, called the Investigatory Powers Act “a draconian law unfit for purpose.”
Governments worldwide have sought access to encrypted platforms, arguing they shield criminals. Tech companies and civil liberties groups counter that weakening encryption undermines the security of all users and threatens the foundations of the digital economy.
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