Apple has reportedly launched a legal challenge against the UK government’s demand to create a “back door” in its iCloud Advanced Data Protection (ADP) system. The iPhone maker has filed a complaint with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent judicial body overseeing complaints against UK security services, a report has said.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Financial Times reports that, this marks the first legal test of the controversial provision in the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act that allows UK authorities to compel companies to break encryption. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal will determine the legality of the UK’s notice and could potentially overturn it.
Apple’s challenge comes after it received a “technical capability notice” (TCN) in January, demanding access to iCloud ADP, an optional feature providing end-to-end encryption for user data, the report said.
Rather than comply, Apple withdrew the service from the UK last month, prompting accusations from the government that it was still failing to meet the order’s requirements.
What the UK government and Apple are saying
The UK government maintains that bypassing encryption is crucial for national security and investigations into serious crimes, while Apple argues that such back doors compromise user privacy and security.
This stance has garnered support from US President Donald Trump and his intelligence chief, who have condemned the UK’s demand and urged them to reconsider, comparing the UK’s demand to Chinese surveillance.
Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard, US director of national intelligence, said tapping Americans’ data would be an “egregious violation” of privacy that risked breaching the two countries’ data agreement.
The case, which could be heard as early as this month, will likely be shrouded in secrecy due to national security concerns.