Apple Appeals UK ‘Back Door’ Order Amid Security Concerns

Apple Inc. has filed an appeal against a British government order requiring a “back door” into its secure cloud storage systems, according to the Financial Times. The tech giant removed its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) encryption for cloud data in the UK last month—an unprecedented response to government demands for access to user information.

By eliminating ADP, Apple now retains the ability to access certain iCloud backups, including copies of iMessages, and to provide them to authorities if legally required. Previously, with end-to-end encryption in place, even Apple could not access such data.

The dispute underscores a long-standing conflict between governments and tech companies over strong encryption. Authorities argue that robust encryption hampers efforts to combat crime and terrorism, while tech firms insist that such measures are vital for protecting consumer privacy. The British order, however, has been described as especially far-reaching.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump compared the UK’s demand to tactics associated with China in an interview with The Spectator. The Financial Times reported that Apple lodged its appeal around the same time it removed ADP, choosing not to comply with a technical capability notice issued by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in January.

Neither the Investigatory Powers Tribunal nor Apple immediately commented on the matter. A spokesperson for Britain’s Home Office emphasized that any privacy impact would occur only in exceptional cases involving the most serious crimes.

In related developments, Reuters noted that U.S. officials are investigating whether Britain’s actions may have violated a bilateral pact, as the move could potentially contravene the CLOUD Act by pressuring Apple to compromise the data of U.S. citizens.

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