Apple is once again challenging a legal demand from the U.K. government that would require the company to provide access to encrypted iCloud user data, according to a report from the Financial Times.
The report says Apple has filed a complaint with the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal, the court responsible for handling cases involving government surveillance. The challenge follows a secret “technical capability notice” issued by the U.K. government last year. Such notices can legally require technology companies to help authorities access user data, even when that data is protected by encryption.
Privacy advocates have argued that complying with this type of order would effectively require Apple to create a backdoor into iCloud backups protected by Advanced Data Protection (ADP). ADP uses end-to-end encryption, meaning only the account owner can access the data, and even Apple cannot decrypt it.
The dispute follows a similar confrontation between Apple and the U.K. government in early 2025. At that time, British authorities reportedly issued a secret order seeking access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups. According to the report, that demand was later withdrawn after intervention by the Trump administration.
Following the first order, Apple removed the ability for users in the U.K. to enable Advanced Data Protection. The Financial Times reports that the U.K. government issued a second technical capability notice in October, and Apple is now challenging that latest order through the country’s legal system.
If this article helped you, please consider supporting our work. Every small contribution keeps Abijita.com independent and running.
