British officials have held private discussions with their U.S. counterparts to address concerns that the UK is pressuring Apple Inc. to create a “backdoor” into Americans’ encrypted data, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.
The talks follow Apple’s recent decision to remove its most advanced cloud encryption feature — known as Advanced Data Protection — from iCloud services in the UK last month. The move, described as unprecedented, came in response to growing government demands for access to user data.
Without end-to-end encryption, Apple can now access certain iCloud backups — including copies of iMessages — and provide the information to authorities if legally required. With the feature enabled, even Apple would be unable to view the data.
The dispute underscores the long-standing tension between governments and tech companies over encryption. While firms argue that strong encryption safeguards user privacy, authorities view it as a barrier to crime prevention and national security efforts. Britain’s recent demands are seen as particularly aggressive.
In February, AMBUisness reported that U.S. officials were investigating whether the UK had violated the CLOUD Act — a bilateral agreement that prevents either nation from unilaterally demanding access to each other’s citizens’ data — by allegedly pressing Apple to build a backdoor into its encrypted cloud systems.
U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed in a February 25 letter to two lawmakers that an inquiry was underway.
Apple’s appeal against the UK government’s order is set to be heard in a closed session at London’s High Court on Friday, according to the BBC.
