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New Legal Filing Raises Questions About UK ‘Agreement’ to Drop Demand for Apple Backdoor

By  |  August 31, 2025
Apple, cybersecurity

A newly released legal filing in the UK reveals the British government sought much broader access to Apple user data that previously known, according to the Financial Times. It also suggests the Home Office is yet to officially modify its demand for a “backdoor” into iCloud, despite a claim by the Trump Administration that Great Britain had “agreed to drop” its effort to gain access to data on American citizens.

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    The filing, viewed by the FT, was published by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), an independent judicial body that reviews complaints against the UK’s security services.

    According to the filing, the government sought access not only to the premium level of encrypted data but to standard iCloud service as well. That would implicate a far larger number of users than previously reported.

    The filing was prepared by two judges and sets out the “assumed facts” that will be the focus of argument at a court hearing slated for early next year. Per the FT, the publication of “assumed facts” will allow the parties to argue the case in open court without violating the Official Secrets Act. Although Apple received the government’s demand letter several months ago, the Home Office has been prevented from either confirming or denying the existence of the Technical Capability Notice (TCN).

    Related: EU Likely to Endorse Apple’s Policy Shift, Avoiding Hefty Daily Fines

    The first public acknowledgment of the government’s demand came from Apple in February, when it withdrew its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature from iCloud in the UK. According to the IPT filing, however, the government’s demand is “not limited to” data stored using ADP, suggesting the Home Office sought bulk interception access to all iCloud data. Nor was the demand limited to users in the UK.

    “The obligations included in the TCN are not limited to the UK or users of the service in the UK; they apply globally in respect of the relevant data categories of all iCloud users,” according to the filing.

    The apparent broad scope of the demand has caused tension between the Trump administration and the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced last week announced last week “The UK has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a ‘back door’ that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties.”

    That announcement followed pressure put on Downing Street by Vice President JD Vance.

    According to the FT, it is unclear whether this week’s IPT filing was referencing the Home Office’s original TCN, prior to any modifications in response to U.S. pressure, or whether it is an indication that the purported modifications have not yet been made.

    A UK government spokesperson told the FT it did not comment on “operational matters”, including “confirming or denying the existence” of any TCNs.

    Source: The Financial Times