Apple (AAPL.US) has once again launched a legal challenge! The UK government imposes encryption data requirements for users who access it

The Zhitong Finance App learned that, according to two people familiar with the matter, Apple (AAPL.US) is filing a new legal challenge in the English court against the British government's attempt to access encrypted data from customers, including iPhone users.

People familiar with the matter said that a court responsible for reviewing secret surveillance activities in the UK issued a notice on Monday saying that Apple has submitted a new legal challenge against the British government's action to obtain user data stored in the cloud. The court's relevant procedures are generally not open to the public, and it is currently unclear what specific claims Apple has made in the lawsuit documents. The court is scheduled to hold a hearing in September to hear this legal challenge.

This is the latest development in a major privacy dispute between the two sides last year after the British authorities ordered Apple to bypass its encryption measures to protect user data in the cloud. Britain's move drew criticism from privacy advocates and senior US government officials, who believed that the British move was an attempt to establish a “back door” to access user files (including photos and communication records).

Under pressure from the Trump administration, the British government agreed not to seek data on American citizens. However, according to people familiar with the matter, the British authorities continue to require Apple to provide data access for British users. People familiar with the matter said that on July 13, Apple raised a new legal challenge to the British government's actions to obtain relevant data through a special court in the UK — the Court of Investigative Powers.

A British government spokesman declined to comment on the details of the case. The spokesperson said in an email statement: “The UK supports strong encryption technology and sound privacy protection measures, but it is also important that law enforcement agencies can access the content of communications when necessary and in accordance with the principle of proportionality to protect the public from terrorism, serious crimes, and child sexual abuse.”

This legal dispute involves a “technical capability notice” issued by the British government to Apple. These notifications can force businesses to remove cryptographic protections from their services. Organizations supporting Apple's challenge the legality of the notice include Liberal Organizations and International Privacy Organizations, both of which have been notified by the court about Apple's latest legal action. A spokesperson for the International Privacy Organization said in a statement: “We are pleased to learn that Apple is once again challenging the UK secret order system.” The spokesperson said that the organization did not know the details of Apple's lawsuit, but maintaining Apple's iCloud storage encryption function “is essential to protect the privacy and security of all of us.”

The dispute between the UK government and Apple began in 2022 when Apple introduced advanced iCloud data protection features. This optional feature can encrypt most of the data in the user's iCloud account, including text messages and device backup. Apple removed UK users' access to the feature in February 2025. The British government argues that in order to carry out national security investigations and criminal investigations, the government must be able to access user data.

Apple has always defended the encryption technology in its products. The company told the British Parliament in 2023 that encryption technology “is essential to protect ordinary citizens from illegal surveillance, identity theft, fraud, and data breaches, and is also an important line of defense for journalists, human rights activists, and diplomats who may be targeted by malicious actors.”