Senator calls for US to pressure UK over Attacks on Encryption

This press release, including the headline, has been updated as of July 31, 2025 as Google have responded to the Washington Post story.

US Democrat Senator Ron Wyden has written to the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard asking for increased pressure on the UK over its attacks on encrypted services, as reported in the Washington Post.

The letter reveals that Google has refused to deny that, as well as Apple, it has also received a technical capability notice from the UK government requesting backdoor access to its services.

Wyden writes:

“When my office asked Google about backdoor demands from the U.K., the company did not answer the question, only stating that if it had received a technical capabilities notice, it would be prohibited from disclosing that fact.”

In response to the letter, Jim Killock, Executive Director of Open Rights Group said:

“Senator Wyden’s letter highlights that the government’s attacks on encryption affect people around the word not just in the UK.

“Google’s refusals to answer Senator Wyden is extremely worrying for Android users who rely on encryption for their privacy and security.”

In February 2025, a Washington Post article revealed that the UK government had requested backdoor access to Apple’s Advanced Data Protection tool. The company refused and withdrew the service from the UK. Apple has appealed the request and there will be a hearing at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal expected this year.

Wyden’s letter will put further political pressure on the UK government as Keir Starmer meets US President Donald Trump today. Last week, it was reported that the US authorities were pressurising the UK government to back down in its demands from Apple.

However, Killock warned:

“The UK’s attack on encryption is not over, even if they try to back down in this case. Until the powers are tested in court, they remain a threat.”

Open Rights Group is currently fundraising for an intervention in the legal case.

Since this press release was issued, Google have responded to the Washington Post.

Google spokesperson Karl Ryan said:

“We haven’t received a Technical Capabilities Notice. We have never built any mechanism or ‘backdoor’ to circumvent end-to-end encryption in our product. If we say a product is end-to-end encrypted, it is.”