Apple has launched a fresh legal challenge against the UK government's demand for access to its customers' encrypted data, months after it withdrew a security feature for UK users rather than comply with an earlier version of the same request.
The US technology company filed a complaint last month with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), an independent court that examines claims of unlawful conduct by UK intelligence services.
At the heart of the dispute is whether the UK government can force Apple to give it access to iCloud data that is otherwise protected by encryption so strong that even Apple cannot read it.
According to an order issued by the court, the Home Office made a second request for backdoor access to encrypted iCloud data belonging to British users.
The UK backed down on its original demand last year after a heated dispute with Washington. That first order, issued under the Investigatory Powers Act in January 2025, sought access to UK and US customers' data alike.
