The UK government has issued a fresh order demanding Apple create a backdoor into its cloud storage service, but this time targeting only the data of British users, according to a report from Financial Times. The move comes despite earlier assurances that Britain had abandoned attempts to weaken Apple’s encryption following pressure from the United States.
The UK Home Office reportedly issued the order in early September, instructing Apple to enable officials to access encrypted iCloud backups belonging to British citizens. Unlike a sweeping demand earlier this year—which sought global access to encrypted data—this notice is limited to domestic users.
In January, the government’s initial “technical capability notice” (TCN) triggered a diplomatic clash with Washington and risked complicating trade talks. In response, Apple pulled its most secure option, iCloud Advanced Data Protection, from the UK, citing its long-standing refusal to build any backdoor or master key into its products.
Caroline Wilson Palow, legal director of Privacy International, warned that “if Apple breaks end-to-end encryption for the UK, it breaks it for everyone.” She noted that any such vulnerability could be exploited not just by law enforcement but also by hostile states, criminals, and hackers worldwide. Apple has already challenged the January TCN at the UK’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal, with Privacy International and Liberty backing the case. The latest order could reignite that legal battle.
Earlier this year, senior figures in Donald Trump’s administration—including Vice President JD Vance and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard—pressed the UK to retract its demands. Trump himself compared Britain’s request to Chinese-style surveillance. By August, Gabbard told the Financial Times that the UK had agreed to drop its request for Apple to unlock Americans’ encrypted data.
But the new order suggests Britain has not abandoned its broader goal. During Trump’s recent state visit hosted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, US officials again raised the matter, though British leaders reportedly no longer face the same pressure from Washington to withdraw the request. The UK government argues that TCNs are necessary tools under the Investigatory Powers Act, citing the need to combat terrorism and child abuse.
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