The UK government attempted to secure broader “back-door” access to private customer data held by Apple, as revealed in new court documents.
First reported by the Financial Times, a legal filing made by the UK government has revealed that the Home Office has not backed down on its attempts to force Apple to allow it access to encrypted customer data.
This contradicts claims made via social media by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who said earlier this month that the “UK has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a back door”.
The post from Gabbard was never verified by the Home Office.
The court document was published by independent court the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.
Apple launched a legal challenge against the Home Office earlier this year over its demands to receive back-door access for the sake of national security.
The tech giants case is being supported by encrypted messaging app WhatsApp, owned by Meta. A court hearing is planned for early next year.
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