Apple is removing its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) cloud encryption feature in the United Kingdom, after the U.K. government asked Apple for full access to user data.
ADP encrypts user data stored in Apple’s cloud servers for those who opt in. The U.K.’s Home Office issued an order to the company earlier this month to offer the government backdoor access to all users’ data in the cloud.
“We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by ADP will not be available to our customers in the U.K. given the continuing rise of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy,” Apple said. “Enhancing the security of cloud storage with end-to-end encryption is more urgent than ever before.”
“Apple remains committed to offering our users the highest level of security for their personal data and are hopeful that we will be able to do so in the future in the U.K. As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will.”
ADP was deactivated in the U.K. on Friday. New users will unable to access it, and existing users required to disable it before a deadline, though the date has yet to be confirmed.
Users outside the U.K. can continue to use the feature.
The Home Office’s order would also prevent Apple from discussing the U.K.’s demands publicly, and would affect users worldwide. It was issued under the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which expands law enforcement’s powers to demand potential evidence from companies.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers from the United States have criticised the U.K. order. Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Andy Biggs said backdoor access would “undermin[e] the security of Americans’ data, as well as of the countless federal, state and local government agencies that entrust sensitive data to Apple products.”
ADP was first introduced in 2022. The company considered rolling out a similar feature in 2018, but Apple backtracked after the United States FBI warned that these measures could harm their investigations, Reuters reported.
Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) share price closed at US$245.55, down from its previous close at $245.83. Its market capitalisation is $3.69 trillion.
