Trump admin says it convinced UK to drop demand for Apple backdoor

The United Kingdom has rescinded its request for Apple to create a backdoor for government officials to access encrypted data, according to Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence. In a recent post on X, Gabbard revealed that her close collaboration with UK partners was aimed at safeguarding the privacy of American citizens while protecting their constitutional rights and civil liberties. Gabbard's statement comes in the wake of previous reports from February, which indicated that the UK had issued a secret order to Apple under the Investigatory Powers Act, often referred to as the 'Snoopers' Charter.' This order, known as a Technical Capability Notice, sought to compel Apple to provide access to encrypted data that is typically protected by robust end-to-end encryption. In response, Apple resisted the demand, opting instead to withdraw its iCloud Advanced Data Protection feature from the UK market. While the UK government has not officially confirmed or denied Gabbard's assertion, a spokesperson stated, "We do not comment on operational matters, including confirming or denying the existence of such notices." Reports from the BBC indicate that Apple has yet to receive any formal communication regarding the status of the demand from either the US or UK governments. Additionally, a Financial Times article highlighted the role of Vice President JD Vance, who reportedly intervened during a recent visit to the UK. According to a US official, Vance played a key role in negotiating an understanding that led to the UK government agreeing to withdraw the controversial order requiring Apple to compromise its encryption standards.