A growing debate over digital privacy has escalated after British officials attempted to force Apple to weaken its iCloud security — a move President Donald Trump has sharply criticized. Instead of complying, Apple removed its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users — preventing government access to encrypted data.
Trump raised the issue directly with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer — where he reportedly told him, “You can’t do this.” He later compared the UK’s demand to surveillance measures seen in China — warning that such policies threaten privacy rights. The dispute centers on the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act, which requires tech companies to provide government access to encrypted data upon request.
https://t.co/vs1oTCO0il
UK is demanding Apple put a back door in iCloud so they can spy on ppl, our NATO allies R NO different than China who controls more of the world than the USSR ever dreamed of— Pete Cooley (@liveinreality20) March 1, 2025
Apple’s security system was designed so that even the company itself cannot access user data. Privacy advocates argue that any effort to bypass this system creates vulnerabilities that could be exploited by bad actors. The UK government maintains that its laws are necessary to investigate serious crimes — but the policy has faced resistance from tech companies and civil liberties groups.
Donald Trump is calling out the UK government for allegedly removing security elements on Apple devices, drawing parallels with China's practices. This controversy might be related to the UK's reported demand for an iCloud backdoor, which led Apple to withdraw its Advanced Data…
— Raggy 🐉 (@Raggy_521) March 1, 2025
U.S. officials have taken note of Britain’s actions — with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard calling the demand an “egregious violation” of privacy. She has ordered legal teams to investigate the matter — particularly regarding how it could affect American users and global privacy protections.
Trump weighs in on the UK's iCloud backdoor request, telling PM Starmer that this is a slippery slope that sounds more like something you'd hear from China. Is privacy at risk or is it just political theater? Dive into the details here: https://t.co/IGRE9ahxtn
— Munshipremchand (@MunshiPremChnd) February 28, 2025
Britain has also come under scrutiny for its broader approach to policing speech. Authorities have prosecuted individuals for social media posts and have arrested people for silently praying outside abortion clinics — raising concerns about government overreach. Critics worry that expanding surveillance powers could be used to target political dissidents.
Hackers and criminals will be better at stealing our information than the government – they will get it first, IMO. Then China will get it.
And @MarioNawfal this won't just be the UK – once the door is opened every iCloud account will be open including the USA . @DataRepublican
— Philosophy Doc🦐, Civil Liberties (@Philosophy_the) February 22, 2025
In addition to the privacy dispute, Trump and Starmer discussed economic policies. The UK is working to secure trade agreements that would prevent it from facing new tariffs as the U.S. adjusts its economic strategy.
