In January, British authorities confidentially issued a technical capability notice under the Investigatory Powers Act, a law that gives the government the power to force tech companies to loosen encryption capabilities on their platforms. The order required Apple to disable Advancedfor Data Protection iCloud for U.S. users. With that change, British agencies could access cloud backups, recorded messages , and other encrypted content. Essentially, the U.K. government was asking for a backdoor into Apple’s iCloud .
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In response to the order, Apple removed features end-to-end encryption iCloud's from the UK, and in a statement provided to 9to5Mac at the time, the company said the following:
«Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the UK to new users. Existing UK users will also need to disable this security feature. ADP protects iCloud data with end-to-end encryption, meaning that data can only be decrypted by the user who owns it, and only on their trusted devices. We are deeply disappointed that the protections offered by ADP will not be available to our customers in the UK, given the continued rise in data breaches and other threats to customer privacy. Strengthening the security of cloud storage with end-to-end encryption is more imperative than ever. Apple remains committed to providing users with the highest level of security for their personal data, and we hope to be able to do so in the future in the UK. As we have said many times in the past, we have never created a backdoor or master key for any of our products or services, and we never will.».
However, in August, the US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, announced that the UK had backed down and withdrawn the controversial order that would have forced Apple to provide a backdoor to American users' data.
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iCloud: UK now requests backdoor for Brits only
The impression given at the time was that the requirement was being dropped entirely , and not just for US iCloud users. The Financial Times reports that the British government did indeed withdraw its original global mandate, but has now replaced it with another one that applies only to its own citizens.
The UK government has reportedly issued a new order to Apple to create a backdoor in its cloud storage, this time targeting only the data of British users. The White House had suggested that Britain abandon its effort altogether. Now that it has secured protection for US iCloud users, it appears that pressure has been lifted.
Two senior British government officials said the US administration was no longer pressuring the UK government to withdraw the order.
Until now, Apple had maintained an uncompromising stance, insisting that it would not create backdoors in its products.
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Apple has built its image as a privacy advocate.
- Advanced Data Protection (ADP) is one of its most powerful weapons: end-to-end encryption that even the company itself cannot "break."
- The UK's demand to disable ADP revealed the Big Tech dilemma:
- Comply with government requirements, risking user trust.
- Or resist, with possible legal/commercial consequences.
Apple's choice to sacrifice the UK market shows that it considers its security credentials much more critical.
