On Friday, Apple turned off its most advanced, end-to-end encrypted cloud data feature in the U.K. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company decided to shut down Advanced Data Protection after the U.K. government demanded a backdoor to access user data.
The security layer previously available to U.K. users, which included iCloud data storage, device backups, web bookmarks, voice memos, notes, photos, reminders, and text message backups, is no longer accessible.
Apple made the decision, saying, “We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by ADP will not be available to our customers in the UK, given the continuing rise of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy.”
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It continues, “ADP protects iCloud data with end-to-end encryption, which means the data can only be decrypted by the user who owns it, and only on their trusted devices.”
Apple’s move isn’t unexpected. The company has long said it wouldn’t offer a backdoor for the U.K., or any government, to access user data.
U.K. customers will now receive the following message on their iPhone, iPad, and Mac: “Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the United Kingdom to new users.”
According to the company, users with ADP must manually turn it off during an unspecified grace period. If they don’t, their iCloud accounts will be terminated. Apple is expected to provide additional guidance.
To deactivate Advanced Data Protection (ADP), users should open the Settings app and select their iCloud account at the top. Then choose “iCloud,” followed by “Advanced Data Protection.” Finally, choose the option to “Turn Off Advanced Data Protection.”
Removing ADP in the U.K. will not affect end-to-end encryption on all Apple features. FaceTime, iMessage, password management, and health data will retain protection, at least for now.
This is not the end of the story. Apple’s decision today may not satisfy U.K. government officials. This could shift the situation in either direction. For instance, the government might demand more from Apple and wait for its response. In turn, Apple could decide to remove all iCloud features in the U.K. Alternatively, both parties could reach a compromise.
However, one thing is sure: Apple will not back down or create a backdoor. The company has consistently stated that it will never allow this.