The UK government may have pushed Apple to give it access to a broader range of customer data than previously disclosed

According to a new court filing, the UK government may have pushed Apple to give it access to a broader range of customer data than previously disclosed.

The UK government may have pushed Apple to give it access to a broader range of customer data than previously disclosed, according to a new court filing.

The dispute centres on Advanced Data Protection, an Apple service that uses end-to-end encryption to secure user information in iCloud so only account holders – not even Apple – can view it.

In February it emerged the Home Office had demanded access to encrypted content stored under ADP, using powers granted by the Investigatory Powers Act.

A document filed with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal now suggests the request was not limited to ADP but could have extended to other Apple data.

Apple, founded in 1976 and currently headed by Tim Cook, introduced ADP in 2022 as an optional security measure.

The technology makes user data more secure but also unrecoverable if account credentials are lost.

In response to criticism from US lawmakers and privacy advocates earlier this year, Apple suspended ADP in the UK while keeping it available in other markets.

The new filing, first reported by the Financial Times, states Apple received a technical capability notice from the UK government between late 2024 and early 2025.

The notice, according to the tribunal, “applies to (although is not limited to) data covered by” ADP.

It also included “obligations to provide and maintain a capability to disclose categories of data stored within a cloud based backup service and to remove electronic protection which is applied to the data where that is reasonably practicable”.

It is not clear whether the government continues to seek access to non-UK users’ data.

US officials have indicated demands affecting overseas customers had been dropped, but the document raises questions about the scope of the UK’s intentions.

The tribunal hears complaints from individuals or organisations who believe they have been subject to unlawful surveillance or other covert activity by public bodies.

Its remit covers UK intelligence agencies including MI5 and MI6.

The Home Office has said in the past it seeks such powers only in cases involving national security risks.