TLDRs:
- UK orders Apple to remove iCloud’s Advanced Data Protection, forcing weaker security for British users.
- Apple appeals mandate, reaffirming it will never build encryption backdoors into its services.
- Privacy advocates warn UK order sets global precedent, risking worldwide user data security.
- The dispute highlights the clash between government surveillance demands and Apple’s commitment to user privacy.
Apple has launched an appeal against a new mandate from the UK government that requires the company to disable its most advanced iCloud encryption features for British users.
The move comes after months of tension between the tech giant and British authorities over access to encrypted data.
At the center of the dispute is Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature, which provides end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups. With ADP enabled, only users can access their data on trusted devices, leaving Apple itself locked out of the information. UK regulators, however, have ordered Apple to create a backdoor that would allow government agencies access to the data, sparking an international debate on privacy, surveillance, and digital security.
UK Order Targets British Citizens’ Data
According to reports, the UK Home Office issued a new Technical Capability Notice (TCN) last month requiring Apple to remove ADP for UK residents. Unlike an earlier order in January, which sought global access to encrypted data, this latest mandate applies only to British users.
Apple responded by suspending ADP in the UK back in February, preventing new customers from enabling it and requiring existing users to eventually disable the feature. In its latest statement, Apple criticized the UK’s position, saying:
“We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by Advanced Data Protection are not available to our customers in the UK given the continuing rise of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy.”
The company has reaffirmed its long-standing position that it will not build backdoors into its services, warning that such vulnerabilities cannot be contained geographically.
A Clash With Global Implications
The dispute has drawn in international politics, particularly the United States. Earlier this year, the Trump administration claimed credit for pushing the UK to “back down” on global encryption demands. However, critics argue that the so-called compromise simply shifted the burden to UK citizens while protecting American users.
Analysts warn that the latest UK order could set a dangerous precedent. Caroline Wilson Palow, legal director at Privacy International, said:
“If Apple breaks end-to-end encryption for the UK, it breaks it for everyone. The resulting vulnerability can be exploited by hostile states, criminals, and other bad actors worldwide.”
Technology experts agree that there is no such thing as a “limited” backdoor. Any weakness created in the system could potentially be weaponized, regardless of where it was intended to apply.
Apple’s Privacy Stance Tested
Apple’s resistance places it in a challenging position. While it maintains its global reputation as a defender of user privacy, the company is also navigating pressure from governments that want expanded surveillance powers.
For UK consumers, the immediate effect is the loss of the highest level of iCloud security. Many see this as a step backward in digital safety at a time when cyberattacks and identity theft are on the rise. Privacy advocates argue that weakening encryption does not only compromise civil liberties, it makes ordinary citizens more vulnerable.
