UK Government Updates Data Access Order Targeting Apple Users Amid Privacy Dispute

The UK government has issued a new directive allowing it to demand access to the personal data of Apple users specifically within the UK, marking a development in an ongoing dispute over data privacy between Apple and the Home Office. This new order replaces a previous one that controversially sought access to Apple user data globally, causing a backlash from the US administration. The current order limits this demand to UK users only, possibly as a compromise. Apple opposes such demands, emphasizing its commitment to user privacy and refusing to create backdoors to its products. Apple had already withdrawn its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature from the UK market and is pursuing legal action, with a tribunal hearing scheduled for January 2026. Privacy groups criticize the UK government’s use of secret orders undermining security, warning that similar demands could extend to other companies. Both the government and Apple remain tight-lipped on the details due to operational secrecy, but the legal battle continues amid broader concerns about national security versus privacy rights.