The British government has, according to US intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard, withdrawn its demand to access iCloud data of American users. This allows Apple to keep its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature active for US customers within the UK, preserving strong encryption. The demand had required Apple to create a backdoor into encrypted iCloud data which Apple strongly resisted. This withdrawal follows pressure from US officials concerned about privacy rights and tech cooperation with the UK.
Initially, to comply with the UK government’s demands under the Investigatory Powers Act, Apple had disabled the ADP feature in the UK market, impacting data like backups, photos, and notes. While the formal notice for withdrawal of the demand is pending, this public reversal supports Apple’s strong stance on user privacy and ensures continued protection across borders.
Learn more about this development at: [MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/19/uk-withdraws-icloud-user-data-demand/) or [GlobalRelay](https://www.grip.globalrelay.com/officials-uk-may-have-to-drop-demand-for-access-to-apples-customer-data/).