Apple has discontinued its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature for iCloud in the United Kingdom, responding to government demands for backdoor access to encrypted user data. The feature, which provided users exclusive control over their encryption keys for cloud-stored data, will no longer be available to UK customers.

The UK Home Office, under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), demanded Apple create a universal backdoor to access any user’s iCloud content. This requirement extends beyond individual cases, seeking broad access to all encrypted material.

Affected iCloud services include:
– Backups
– Photos
– Notes
– Reminders
– Safari Bookmarks
– Voice memos
– Apple app data

Current ADP users must manually disable the feature, as Apple cannot automatically deactivate it. The company will now only offer standard data protection in the UK, where encryption keys are stored in Apple’s data centers, making data accessible to law enforcement with proper warrants.

U.S. officials, including Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Andy Biggs, have urged the UK to withdraw this order, warning it compromises both American citizens’ privacy and U.S. government security. They suggested reevaluating U.S.-UK cybersecurity arrangements and intelligence sharing if the UK maintains this stance.

Apple expressed disappointment in this development, particularly given the increasing threats to customer privacy and rising frequency of data breaches.