The United Kingdom has officially withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted iCloud data, according to U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. This development ends a months-long dispute over government access to encrypted user data that had raised significant concerns about privacy and civil liberties[1][2][3][4][5].
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) early Tuesday,...
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) early Tuesday, Gabbard announced that after close collaboration between U.S. and UK officials—including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance—the UK agreed to drop its mandate requiring Apple to provide a backdoor that would have enabled access to protected encrypted data of American citizens. She emphasized that this move protects Americans' private data and upholds constitutional rights and civil liberties[1][2][3][4].
The controversy began earlier this year when reports emerged...
The controversy began earlier this year when reports emerged that the UK government had issued a secret Technical Capability Notice (TCN) under the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, compelling Apple to develop a method for British security services to access fully encrypted iCloud data globally. The order, which Apple legally challenged, raised alarms over potential electronic spying and the erosion of encryption protections for users worldwide, not just those in the UK[2][3][4].
In response to the demand, Apple disabled its Advanced Data...
In response to the demand, Apple disabled its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users in February 2025. This feature offers end-to-end encryption for iCloud data, ensuring that only the user can access their stored information, not even Apple itself. Apple expressed strong opposition to the backdoor requirement, maintaining it had never built such access into its products and would not do so[2][3][4].
The UK Home Office declined to comment directly on the withd...
The UK Home Office declined to comment directly on the withdrawal or the existence of the TCN, citing operational security, but reiterated its commitment to joint security arrangements with the U.S. to combat serious threats including terrorism and child sexual abuse[2].
This resolution marks a significant victory for digital priv...
This resolution marks a significant victory for digital privacy advocates and underscores the complex balance between national security interests and protecting individual privacy rights in the digital age. It also highlights the influence of diplomatic pressure in shaping technology and encryption policies across allied countries[3][4][5]. Apple has not issued a public comment following Gabbard’s announcement.
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 2:50:09 PM
The US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that the UK government has withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted iCloud data, which would have allowed access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens, infringing on civil liberties. This decision followed months of close diplomatic work involving the US, UK, President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance to protect Americans’ digital privacy rights. The original UK demand, issued in January 2025 under the Investigatory Powers Act, led Apple to disable its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users earlier this year[1][2][3].
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 3:00:16 PM
The UK government has **withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted iCloud data**, following months of diplomatic pressure from the United States, according to US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard[1][2][3]. Gabbard highlighted that the decision protects American citizens' civil liberties by preventing access to their encrypted data and resulted from close cooperation between US and UK officials, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance[1][2]. The original demand was issued under the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act in January 2025, requiring Apple to provide blanket access to encrypted cloud data globally, but Apple responded by disabling its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users and legally challenging the order[2][
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 3:10:11 PM
The US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that the UK government has withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted cloud systems, a move confirmed early Tuesday on X. This decision followed months of close diplomatic cooperation between the US and UK, aiming to protect American citizens' privacy and constitutional rights, as the original UK request under the Investigatory Powers Act sought blanket access to Apple’s end-to-end encrypted data globally[1][2][3]. Apple had disabled its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK in February 2025 in response to the backdoor demand, which it had strongly opposed.
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 3:20:11 PM
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard announced that the UK has withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted data, a move welcomed by privacy advocates and consumers concerned about digital rights. The decision follows months of pressure and was hailed as a “victory for American officials” aiming to protect citizens’ data privacy and civil liberties, with Apple previously disabling its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK amid this dispute[1][2]. Public reaction highlights relief and support for maintaining robust encryption, with critics warning that backdoors would have endangered global user privacy.
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 3:30:14 PM
The UK government has withdrawn its January 2025 Technical Capability Notice demanding Apple create a backdoor to access end-to-end encrypted iCloud data, including that of U.S. citizens, after months of negotiations led by U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance[1][2][3]. This reversal follows Apple’s February 2025 removal of its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK, which had provided end-to-end encryption making user data inaccessible even to Apple itself[2]. The move preserves the integrity of Apple’s encryption standards and protects civil liberties by preventing government-mandated access to globally encrypted user data[1][3].
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 3:40:09 PM
The UK government has officially withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted iCloud data, a mandate issued under the Investigatory Powers Act in January 2025, after intensive diplomatic engagement led by the US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard[1][2]. Gabbard stated the decision protects Americans' civil liberties by preventing access to encrypted data of US citizens worldwide, describing it as a result of months of cooperation involving President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance[1][3]. In response to the original order, Apple disabled its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users in February 2025 and contested the legality of the demand through the Investigatory Powers Tribunal[2].
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 3:50:13 PM
The US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, announced that the UK has withdrawn its demand for Apple to provide a backdoor enabling access to encrypted iCloud data, including that of American citizens, following months of close diplomatic engagement with the US government and leadership[1][2][3]. This demand originated from a Technical Capability Notice issued under the UK's Investigatory Powers Act in January 2025, which would have required Apple to bypass end-to-end encryption globally, but the UK government’s withdrawal marks a significant regulatory reversal protecting civil liberties and digital privacy[2][3]. Apple had previously responded by disabling its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK, and the US government hailed the withdrawal as a safeguard for Americans’ constitutional rights and private
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 4:00:26 PM
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard announced that the UK has withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor enabling access to encrypted iCloud data, a move that protects the privacy of American citizens and upholds constitutional rights[1][2][3]. This reversal, following months of diplomatic pressure from the US and collaboration with President Biden and Vice President Harris, marks a significant global precedent in the debate over government access to encrypted communications and digital privacy[1][2]. The UK had initially issued a Technical Capability Notice under its Investigatory Powers Act in January 2025 that would have required blanket access to Apple’s encrypted cloud data worldwide, but the demand is now rescinded, underscoring international tensions between security interests and civil liberties[2
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 4:10:15 PM
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard announced that the UK has withdrawn its Technical Capability Notice issued under the Investigatory Powers Act demanding Apple to create a backdoor to its end-to-end encrypted iCloud data, which would have granted blanket access to encrypted user data globally, including Americans' data[1][2][3]. This reversal follows months of diplomatic pressure from the US government, including President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who emphasized the protection of American citizens' civil liberties and constitutional rights[1][3]. Apple had responded by disabling its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK, which encrypted iCloud backups so that only users could access their data, highlighting the significant technical and privacy implications of such backdoor demands[2].
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 4:20:29 PM
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard announced that the UK government has withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted cloud systems, citing months of close cooperation with US officials to protect American citizens' privacy and civil liberties[1][2]. Experts hailed this as a significant victory for digital privacy, noting Apple’s firm stance against backdoors, which included disabling its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users in February 2025 after the original UK mandate was issued under the Investigatory Powers Act[2]. Industry analysts emphasize that this reversal underscores the delicate balance governments face between national security demands and upholding constitutional rights in the era of encrypted communications[2][5].
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 4:30:35 PM
The UK government has officially withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted iCloud data, following months of intensive diplomatic pressure from the US, led by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance[1][3][4]. This move ends a dispute that began with a UK-issued Technical Capability Notice under the Investigatory Powers Act requiring Apple to provide access to end-to-end encrypted data, leading Apple to disable its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users in February 2025[3][4]. The withdrawal reshapes the competitive landscape by reinforcing Apple’s commitment to encryption and user privacy, preventing precedent-setting government access that could have pressured other tech companies to follow suit[3
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 4:40:31 PM
The UK government has officially withdrawn its Technical Capability Notice issued in January 2025 that demanded Apple create a backdoor to access end-to-end encrypted iCloud data globally, including data of American citizens. This move followed sustained diplomatic pressure led by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who emphasized protecting Americans' constitutional rights and civil liberties by preserving encryption without compromise. Apple's Advanced Data Protection feature, which was disabled in the UK in February 2025 due to this demand, would have otherwise allowed government access to data that Apple does not normally possess, marking a significant technical and privacy victory for strong encryption advocates[1][2][3].
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 4:50:32 PM
The UK government has officially withdrawn its controversial demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted iCloud data, a move announced by U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard as a victory for protecting American civil liberties and digital privacy[1][2][4]. This resolution followed months of close diplomatic collaboration involving the U.S. administration, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, aimed at safeguarding the encrypted data of millions of global Apple users against foreign government access[1][2][3]. The international response highlights heightened tensions in balancing law enforcement interests with privacy rights, with the UK emphasizing its ongoing commitment to national security while the U.S. stressed constitutional protections for its citizens[2].
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 5:00:33 PM
The UK has officially withdrawn its demand for Apple to provide a backdoor into its Advanced Data Protection encryption system after months of diplomatic pressure led by the US, as confirmed by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on August 19, 2025[1][2]. This move shifts the competitive landscape by reinforcing Apple's stance on end-to-end encryption, preserving its “Advanced Data Protection” feature that secures iCloud data without government access, and bolsters consumer trust in Apple's privacy protections amid increasing global surveillance demands[2][3]. The UK’s retreat also underscores US influence in shaping international encryption policy, protecting American users’ civil liberties and setting a precedent against mandated tech backdoors.
🔄 Updated: 8/19/2025, 5:10:30 PM
The U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that the UK government has withdrawn its Technical Capability Notice demanding Apple build a backdoor to access fully encrypted iCloud data of users worldwide, including Americans. This reversal comes after months of diplomatic efforts involving U.S. leadership and follows Apple’s February 2025 removal of its Advanced Data Protection feature—which provided end-to-end encryption for cloud data—in the UK to prevent forced access. The decision preserves Apple’s encryption standards and protects civil liberties by preventing government-mandated access to protected encrypted data[1][2][3][4].