LONDON: The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) held a secret, day-long hearing regarding an appeal filed by Apple against a government notice that mandates the company to provide law enforcement access to data encrypted through its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) service. The notice, issued by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in January, extends law enforcement access to encrypted data on Apple’s iCloud service to include users of Apple’s ADP service, who store encryption keys on their own devices.

A group of 10 media organizations, including the BBC, the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times, Reuters, and Computer Weekly, as well as the Press Association, submitted legal filings calling for the case to be heard in open court. Privacy and human rights groups also supported this call.

The hearing, which took place at the Royal Courts of Justice on March 14, 2025, followed Apple’s complaint against a Home Office decision to issue a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) requiring the company to grant UK law enforcement access to data encrypted by Apple’s ADP service.

The case was heard by Lord Justice Rabinder Singh, President of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, and High Court Judge Jeremy Johnson. The government was represented by James Eadie KC, while Apple’s legal team included barristers Julian Milford KC and Dan Beard KC.