UK allows Apple encryption stance to stand

Britain abandons a plan that would have forced Apple to weaken encryption enabling access to US user data.

UK drops demand that Apple access US data

The UK has dropped a mandate that would have forced Apple to weaken encryption so UK agencies could access US user data. The decision follows months of diplomacy with the US administration, and officials say it protects Americans’ privacy and civil liberties.
The backstory involves a technical capability notice under the Investigatory Powers Act and a push to access iCloud data. Apple had previously said ADP would not be available in the UK and that it has never built a backdoor. Reuters reported talks between UK leaders and President Trump and Vice President Vance may have influenced the outcome. There is no word yet on whether ADP might be restored or how this will affect users globally.

This episode shows how privacy policy can collide with security demands. When diplomacy aligns tech safety with civil liberties, privacy wins. Yet the path forward remains unclear: cross border data access without weakening encryption, and the timing of any restoration for UK users.
The case also tests the US-UK alliance on tech policy and whether future governments will use this precedent to push harder on access. It is a reminder that encryption is a public concern, not a private tech issue.

Highlights

The policy landscape for data protection continues to evolve as governments and platforms negotiate access and security.