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In February 2025, reports emerged claiming that the UK government had secretly issued a notice to Apple, demanding the company introduce a backdoor into its iCloud service. The intent was to allow government authorities to decrypt user data through this hidden access.
Apple currently offers an end-to-end encryption option in iCloud, known as Advanced Data Protection (ADP). When enabled in iOS settings, this feature ensures that all data uploaded to iCloud is fully encrypted, to the extent that even Apple itself cannot decrypt it.
The UK’s proposal suggested that if Apple were to leave a backdoor in place, the government could use it to access and decrypt user data. However, in practice, such a mechanism would not be limited to British users alone—it would render the data of hundreds of millions of users worldwide vulnerable to decryption.
Unsurprisingly, the proposal posed a grave threat to global privacy. Once this information became public, the U.S. government intervened, insisting that such a demand would also place American users’ private information at risk.
Apple refused to comply with the UK’s directive. Instead, it chose to disable Advanced Data Protection within the United Kingdom, thereby aligning with British regulations locally, while ensuring that user data in other regions remained inaccessible to government decryption.
According to a recent report from the Financial Times, following U.S. intervention, the UK government has agreed to drop its demand for Apple to introduce a backdoor. No official announcement has yet been made—London may opt to remain silent, leaving Apple to disclose any related updates.
If this requirement has indeed been abandoned, Apple will be free to restore Advanced Data Protection for users in the UK. The reinstatement of the feature would serve as a clear indicator that the government’s request has truly been withdrawn.
Commenting on the matter, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated on X/Twitter that she has been working closely with partners in the UK, as well as with @POTUS and @VP, to ensure that American users’ private data remains protected.
Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the UK government still maintains that it has the authority to access the private communications of its citizens. This raises the possibility that, even if this backdoor demand has been shelved, future attempts may be made to undermine end-to-end encryption in pursuit of user data.
Related Posts:
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- Data Privacy Row: Apple Takes UK Government to Court
- iOS 18.3.2 Bug? iCloud Mail Push Notifications Broken
- Apple Halts iCloud Advanced Data Protection in the UK After Government Demands Backdoor Access
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