UK ‘backs off’ demand for backdoor in Apple device data
Several UK government sources believe that the country’s Home Office may back down from its previous position due to pressure from Washington, including from US Vice President JD Vance.
The UK demanded that the company create a backdoor to allow Apple users to access its encrypted cloud services earlier this year. But the nation might now give in on that demand.
The British daily Guardian reported that the British government may back down from that demand due to pressure from Washington.
In January, the UK Home Office formally requested Apple to allow law enforcement agencies to access their customers’ confidential data or encrypted messages.
The US iPhone maker rejected that request at the time. Apple also withdrew its advanced data protection services from the UK market. The company has also taken legal action to overturn the government’s demand.
The US tech giant has appealed to the UK's 'Investigative Powers Tribunal'. The "Investigative Powers Tribunal" is an independent court with the authority to investigate complaints against security services.
The company argued that users' personal privacy is one of Apple's 'core values'.
At the time, the BBC reported that the whole matter was the latest in an unprecedented conflict between one of the world's largest technology companies and the UK government over data privacy.
According to the British daily Financial Times, a number of UK government sources, including US Vice President JD Vance, think that pressure from Washington could cause the British Home Office to rescind its earlier stance.
Earlier, Vance said that he considered the idea of 'creating backdoors in our own technology networks, even for the security of our own country', as 'madness'. Because enemies could take advantage of it.
“The Home Office will have to back down,” the Financial Times reported, citing a Whitehall source. "In the moment, they are trying to find another way around this."
The Home Office did not respond to a request for comment from the Guardian.
Apple Company received a "technical capability notice" from the Home Office using the Investigatory Powers Act. In response, Apple withdrew its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) service in the UK in February, saying, “We have never built backdoors or master keys into any of our products or services, and we never will.”
Apple uses ADP to store and encrypt personal data uploaded by users to various cloud servers. It is available worldwide and provides end-to-end encryption for iCloud Drive and other services, including backups, notes, wallet passes, reminders, and more.
Apple has filed a lawsuit against the UK Home Office's claim that it created a backdoor. The Home Office requested that the case be kept private. However, judges have ordered that the hearing of the case will not be held in camera.
The Guardian writes that the government wants to make the UK a place where US technology companies will be interested in investing.
Some ministers say that encryption technology is preventing law enforcement agencies from taking effective action against criminals, especially child abusers.
However, a different view is that the claim of a backdoor could damage technology relations with the United States, which could be a key part of the Labour Party's trade policy.
