The UK has agreed to back down on its demand for Apple to allow it back door access to encrypted data, according to claims from the US director of National Intelligence.
In a social media post, Tulsi Gabbard said she has been “working closely with our partners in the UK” to discuss data privacy and how it impacts the “constitutional rights” of Americans.
She said this has resulted in the UK agreeing 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”.
Over the past few months, I’ve been working closely with our partners in the UK, alongside @POTUS and @VP, to ensure Americans’ private data remains private and our Constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected.
As a result, the UK has agreed to drop its mandate for…
— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) August 19, 2025
This year the UK government has clashed with Apple following requests made in February from ministers to access encrypted data.
Apple has a strict policy regarding encryption, claiming the company itself is unable to view user’s encrypted data, leading to a confrontation with the Home Office, which cited national security concerns, requesting a backdoor to access the data when required.
Apple took legal action against the government over these demands, supported by Meta-owned encrypted messaging service WhatsApp.
The UK’s insistence on privileged access to data drew intense criticism from data privacy advocates, with many pointing out that it is not possible to maintain encryption with limited access, with the practice essentially being all or nothing.
UKTN has contacted the Home Office for confirmation of Gabbard’s claims.
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