The British government has quietly backed away from a controversial order that would have forced Apple to weaken its encryption, following months of diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration. The reversal is being hailed as a victory for privacy advocates and for Apple, which has long resisted demands to compromise its security architecture, writes CNN.
The order, issued under the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, sought to compel Apple to build a “back door” into its systems—granting law enforcement access to encrypted iCloud backups, photos, and messages. Privacy advocates warned the move would have jeopardized the security of millions of users worldwide. Apple, for its part, has repeatedly stated it “has not and would never build a backdoor or ‘master key’ to its products,” citing the global risk of exploitation by hackers or authoritarian regimes.
In February, Apple responded by disabling its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature for UK users. The opt-in tool provides end-to-end encryption for iCloud data, ensuring that only account holders—not even Apple—can access their files. The withdrawal of ADP underscored Apple’s refusal to comply, even at the cost of reducing security for British customers.
The breakthrough came Monday, when U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced via X that the UK had agreed to abandon the mandate.
Over the past few months, I’ve been working closely with our partners in the UK, alongside @POTUS and @VP, to ensure Americans' private data remains private and our Constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected.
As a result, the UK has agreed to drop its mandate for…
— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) August 19, 2025
She credited the outcome to “months of close collaboration” between London and Washington, led by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. “The United Kingdom agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a back door that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties,” Gabbard wrote.
According to reports, Gabbard held repeated discussions with her UK counterpart, Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Collins, culminating in a pivotal White House meeting. Vice President Vance also pressed British officials directly, helping secure what one official described as a “mutually beneficial” outcome. “This agreement between our two governments maintains each country’s sovereignty while ensuring close cooperation on data,” the official said.
The UK Home Office has declined to comment, citing the secrecy provisions of the Investigatory Powers Act, which empowers ministers to issue Technical Capability Notices compelling companies to assist law enforcement in accessing communications and metadata. Critics say those powers remain ripe for abuse.
Civil liberties groups cautiously welcomed the reversal, but many warn the larger fight is not over. “The Investigatory Powers Act is still a live threat to encryption,” one advocate noted, pointing to Apple’s pending 2026 legal challenge before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. For now, however, Apple’s hard line and Washington’s intervention have preserved the integrity of iCloud encryption for American users and forestalled what many saw as a dangerous precedent.
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Thanks JD awesome Dems Never do this