UK Drops Demand for Apple Encryption ‘Backdoor’ on Americans

The UK has dropped efforts to force Apple Inc. to open a so-called backdoor to US users’ data, removing a point of contention between the two sides as they seek to finalize a broader trade deal.

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Monday that British authorities had rescinded an order asking the company to circumvent encryption to help them pursue certain national security and criminal investigations. The move had drawn protests from senior US officials and prompted Apple to remove its most advanced encrypted security feature for cloud data in the UK.