Apple removes Advanced Data Protection in the UK for new users, pulling the optional E2EE feature rather than complying with the UK's order to build a backdoor

- Company removes Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users — “We never will” build backdoor to user data, iPhone maker says

Bloomberg 2025-02-21 Mark Gurman

Context & Ripple Effects

Apple’s move follows the UK order described in related coverage and echoes the policy dispute over whether governments can compel providers to enable access to encrypted data. The company chose to withdraw an optional protection rather than alter it.

The immediate follow-up characterized the withdrawal as a removal of iCloud’s Advanced Data Protection in the UK, while later coverage tested whether the mandate itself would hold, including a reported UK retreat from the backdoor requirement.

First-order effects

New UK users lose access to Advanced Data Protection, while Apple avoids building the requested access mechanism into the feature.
Apple turns a government-access demand into a product-availability decision: the UK version of its cloud security offering is less protective than elsewhere.

Second-order effects

The outcome puts pressure on UK authorities to weigh investigatory access against the practical cost of providers withdrawing high-security options rather than complying.
Other encrypted-service providers gain a concrete precedent for resisting access mandates through regional feature changes, not just litigation or technical compliance.

Third-order effects

If repeated across jurisdictions, this approach would fragment privacy and security features by country, making national legal demands a direct determinant of product design.
The dispute reinforces encryption as a sovereignty and market-access issue: policymakers may seek access, while platforms can use withdrawal to preserve a no-backdoor position.

The trend: Encrypted cloud services are increasingly being shaped by a collision between government access orders and platforms’ willingness to localize or withdraw security features.

Discussion

@northamptonian James Tarry on bluesky
This is grim. Personally, there's nothing on the cloud that's particularly private, but if I was using it for business it'd be somewhat different. [embedded post]
@radiobeartime.com Mark O'Neill on bluesky
So the current shambles that is UK tech policy is making end users less safe, effectively makes running any kind of online forum too risky, and proposes to make the UK's creative industries worthless because the Wallet Inspectors say it's necessary to power the magical AI mills. …
@chancemiller.me Chance Miller on bluesky
Apple is pulling its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK: — Starting today, the feature is unavailable to new users in the UK. — Timetable unclear, but UK users who have already enabled the feature will eventually have to DISABLE IT to continue using their iCloud account…
@martinsfp @martinsfp on bluesky
Thanks to the UK government for leading us to a point where iCloud is less secure for your citizens. Madness. — No backdoors! Encryption for all! Let the intelligence community do some work to get the specific data they need!
@benedictevans Benedict Evans on threads
I can understand the UK government regulating encryption in the UK. I think it's making the wrong choice but that, is its prerogative. I don't understand why thinks it should be able to regulate the product that an American company sells in Japan
@timothybucksf Timothy Buck on threads
Really pleased to see Apple do the right thing in the face of government overreach.
@parkert Parker Thompson on threads
Apple is a real mixed bag, but credit where credit is due on this one. — RE: https://www.threads.net/...
@willguyatt Will Guyatt on x
There's an awful lot of nuance lost in this Apple story - the government still needs a court order to get data from Apple. The lack of government communication on this will lead to spiralling conspiracy theories not seen since 5G and covid https://news.sky.com/...
@profwoodward Alan Woodward on x
When will the lesson be learned, no matter how much you dislike the fact, you cannot tell a US tech company what to do globally - all you succeed in doing is disadvantaging your own people https://www.bbc.com/...
@shellenberger Michael Shellenberger on x
The UK seems like a free nation. It's not. It is run by a tyrant, Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer . Shame on him for his totalitarian demand. And bravo to Apple CEO @tim_cook for defying the government. Please share this to warn the world that UK is no longer safe for free people! […
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
Crazy Apple PR spin being parroted here through different partisan channels. Apple just compromised all UK users by removing iCloud encryption and are having reporters say it was a brave act of rebellion. They think we're all idiots, Apple customers and Apple employees alike!
@uk_daniel_card @uk_daniel_card on x
I'll be moving myself somewhere else then!
@martynday @martynday on x
Apple withdraws cloud encryption service from UK - New users can no longer sign up to iCloud ADP as of Friday. Customers in the UK who had already turned the setting on will be required to disable the feature in order to keep using their iCloud account https://www.ft.com/...
@migueldeicaza Miguel de Icaza on x
Murdoch's newspapers are going to have very juicy content for decades.
@mysk_co @mysk_co on x
Will users visiting the UK be forced to disable iCloud Advanced Data Protection before entering the country?
@jamestitcomb James Titcomb on x
Countries where government security orders mean Apple doesn't offer the same encryption available to the rest of the world: Britain China
@kimzetter Kim Zetter on x
Apple has canceled encrypted iCloud storage for UK users rather than create backdoor UK gov wants to access data. UK customers who currently have Advanced Data Protection will be warned to disable it or lose access to iCloud. By @joemenn.bsky.social https://www.washingtonpost.com…
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on x
I'm moving to china where my icloud data is more secure
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
I was mistaken. Apple is indeed willing to sell out the security and privacy of users anywhere in the world at the request of their government. Perhaps by compromising user rights, they hope develop a “special relationship” that gives them a free pass on antitrust law.
@matthew_d_green @matthew_d_green on x
Apple will withdraw the ability for U.K. users to sign up for ADP. Since they can't turn off ADP for existing users, those users will still have it. But eventually they intend to “provide guidance” to those users, which I imagine means a choice of turning it off manually or
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on x
Pretty sad day when the United Kingdom is the first region to block Apple from offering Advanced Data Protection https://9to5mac.com/...
@matthew_d_green @matthew_d_green on x
This will not affect: iMessage encryption iCloud Keychain FaceTime Health data These will remain end-to-end encrypted. Other services like iCloud Backup and Photos will not be end-to-end encrypted.
@matthew_d_green @matthew_d_green on x
New public statement from Apple (sent to me privately): “As of Friday, February 21, Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection as a feature to new users in the UK.”
@matthew_d_green @matthew_d_green on x
Additionally: “Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the United Kingdom to new users and current UK users will eventually need to disable this security feature. ADP protects iCloud data with end-to-end encryption, which means the data can only be decrypted
@dcurtis Dustin Curtis on x
Apple should not have acquiesced—especially for an advanced western democracy like the UK. Weakening encryption is bad for humanity and something worth fighting to the bitter end.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
BREAKING: Apple is pulling its end-to-end encryption feature — Advanced Data Protection — in the UK, in a stunning development after the government ordered the company to build a backdoor to user data. Apple is not complying. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@leokelion Leo Kelion on x
Well that explains why I was getting alerts that Advanced Data Protection wasn't working this morning... this looks like a big concession from Apple HT @zsk [image]
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
BREAKING: Apple is pulling its end-to-end encryption feature — Advanced Data Protection — in the UK, in a stunning development after the government ordered the company to build a backdoor to user data. Apple is not complying.
r/apple r on reddit
Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

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