The UK government has ordered Apple to give law enforcement access to encrypted iCloud backups of British users, escalating a long-running dispute over data privacy and surveillance powers.

The move, first reported by the Financial Times, follows a failed attempt earlier this year to demand global access, which triggered a sharp backlash from Washington.

In September, the Home Office issued a technical capability notice (TCN) under the Investigatory Powers Act requiring Apple to create a “back door” into its cloud storage service, but limited the order to UK users, according to people briefed on the matter.

A broader demand in January had included US customers, drawing objections from Donald Trump’s administration and raising fears it could derail trade negotiations.

Apple withdrew

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