Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a dramatic U-turn on Apple user privacy, following intense pressure from US officials and tech leaders, including American Vice President JD Vance.
The move comes after weeks of debate over whether the UK government would seek greater access to encrypted Apple user data as part of new security proposals. Privacy campaigners and Apple users voiced outrage, warning it would undermine trust and put personal information at risk.
In a surprise shift, Starmer confirmed today that Apple users’ data will now remain private, marking a retreat from earlier suggestions that authorities could compel tech firms to provide backdoor access.
Observers credit American pressure as decisive in the reversal. “America has come to the rescue once again,” one senior Westminster source said, pointing to Vance’s intervention and coordinated lobbying by US lawmakers and digital rights advocates.
The decision has been welcomed by civil liberties groups, though critics argue it represents a setback for UK security services seeking stronger surveillance powers.
