UK Apple Backdoor Case Must be Kept Public, Rules Court

A UK tribunal has ruled that the government cannot conduct its legal battle with Apple concerning encryption behind closed doors, affirming the public’s right to open justice in a case with wide-reaching privacy implications. The judgment, handed down by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal on April 7, 2025, rejected the Home Office's attempt to keep proceedings secret.

The case stems from a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) issued under the Investigatory Powers Act, requiring Apple to weaken iCloud’s encryption and enable government access to user data. Apple challenged the order, arguing that it violates a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights and could set a dangerous precedent.

The Tribunal, led by Lord Justice Singh and Mr Justice Johnson, stressed that the “open justice principle” must prevail and confirmed that there was no sufficient justification for withholding such a high-profile case from public scrutiny.

Beginning in 2023, Apple warned it might remove iMessage and FaceTime from the UK in response to proposed surveillance law changes. The government's position hardened in early 2024 when it issued the TCN, prompting Apple to disable Advanced Data Protection for UK users, triggering industry-wide concern.

Apple maintained that any backdoor created for the UK would inevitably become a vulnerability worldwide. Privacy advocates and other encrypted service providers, including Signal and WhatsApp, have supported Apple’s stance on the matter.

Now that the court has ensured the case will proceed in public, the stage is set for a landmark legal confrontation that could shape global norms on digital security and state surveillance. With hearings expected later this year, the world will be watching as Apple and the UK government square off over the future of encryption.