The United Kingdom has backed away from a mandate that would have forced Apple to weaken security for American users. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the reversal on Monday, calling it a necessary step to protect constitutional rights and privacy.
In a post on X, Gabbard said the decision followed months of work with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. “Over the past few months, I’ve been working closely with our partners in the UK… to ensure Americans’ private data remains private,” she wrote. “As a result, the UK has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a back door.”
Background on the UK Order
Back in January, UK authorities issued a “technical capability notice” under the Investigatory Powers Act. The order would have forced Apple to disable Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for iCloud in the United States. This feature secures backups, voice memos, and other data with end-to-end encryption so that only users can access it on their devices.
As a direct response, Apple removed ADP features in the UK. The company called the situation “gravely disappointing” and repeated its position that it has “never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and never will,” according to 9to5Mac.
Diplomatic Context
The reversal came as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Washington to meet Trump and other European leaders. Reuters noted the talks were mainly about Russia’s war in Ukraine, but the Apple order likely came up as well.
What this really means is that Apple and privacy advocates secured a win, at least for now. But the company has not confirmed if Advanced Data Protection will return for UK users. Nor has it said whether the decision changes its broader encryption policies worldwide.
