LONDON – The UK government has demanded the right to access encrypted data stored by Apple users worldwide in its cloud service.
Currently, only the relevant Apple account holder can access that data. Even the tech giant itself cannot view that information.
The demand has been issued by the Home Office under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) . That law compels companies to provide information to law enforcement agencies.
Apple declined to comment, but states on its website that it views privacy as a “fundamental human right.”
Under the law, this demand cannot be made public. The news was first reported by the Washington Post, and BBC has spoken to similar sources.
Concerns over ‘back doors’
The demand applies to all content stored using what Apple calls “Advanced Data Protection” (ADP) . ADP uses end-to-end encryption – meaning only the account holder can access the data, and even Apple itself cannot see it.
However, the government notice does not mean authorities will suddenly start combing through everyone’s data. It is believed the government would seek access when there is a risk to national security, targeting a specific individual.
Apple has previously told Parliament that it would rather withdraw encryption services like ADP from the UK market than comply with such demands. “We will never build a back door in our products,” it said.
Cyber security experts agree that once such an entry point is created, it is only a matter of time before criminals also discover it.
Protests and reactions
Privacy International called it an “unprecedented attack” on personal data. Its legal director Caroline Wilson Palow said, “This is a fight the UK should not have picked. This overreach will set a hugely damaging precedent.”
Professor Alan Woodward, cyber security expert from Surrey University, said he was “stunned” by the news. Big Brother Watch described the reports as “troubling.”
“This misguided attempt at tackling crime and terrorism will not make the UK safer, but it will erode the fundamental rights and civil liberties of the entire population,” the group said in a statement.
Apple, however, insists that customer privacy is at the heart of all its products and services. In 2024, Apple contested proposed amendments to the Investigatory Powers Act, calling it an “unprecedented overreach” by a government.
Historical context
The US government has previously asked Apple for similar access, but Apple refused. In 2016, Apple resisted a court order to write software that would allow US officials to access a gunman’s iPhone. The FBI later managed to access the device.
