UK might not seek encrypted data of Apple users anymore
What's the story
The British government is reportedly reconsidering its controversial demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its iCloud service. The Financial Times reported that senior British officials are leaning toward dropping the plan under pressure from the US government. This comes after Apple's legal complaint and removal of Advanced Data Protection from the UK in response to the initial request.
International impact
UK-US ties could be jeopardized by backdoor demand
The British government's request for a backdoor into iCloud and the compromise of Apple's end-to-end encryption could jeopardize critical tech partnerships with the US in artificial intelligence (AI) and data sharing. It has already created tensions between the two countries. Senior officials in the Trump administration have all strongly opposed this request from London.
Mismanagement concerns
British government still pursuing the issue
The Financial Times also reported that the British Home Office has handled the Apple encryption issue "very badly" and now finds itself in a difficult position. Despite these challenges, the government still appears to be pursuing its demand. It is said to have discussed next steps with lawyers as recently as this month, indicating that this contentious issue is far from over.
Information
Access to iCloud was sought to investigate serious crimes
In February, it was revealed that the British government had secretly requested access to all encrypted user content stored on iCloud. Officials claimed this demand was essential for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate serious crimes like terrorism and child sexual abuse.