Apple Pulls Advanced Security Tool in UK Amid Government Dispute

[Social Media]

 

Apple has announced that it will no longer offer its most secure cloud encryption feature, Advanced Data Protection (ADP), to customers in the UK following a dispute with the government over access to user data.  

 

ADP is an optional tool that ensures only account holders can view their stored documents, photos, and other data. Even Apple itself cannot access the information when this feature is enabled. However, reports suggest that the UK government recently requested access to this data, leading Apple to withdraw the tool entirely from the country.  

 

In response to government pressure, Apple has disabled ADP as an option for new users and is now preparing a process to phase out the feature for those who are already using it. The move has reignited the ongoing debate between tech companies and governments over encryption and privacy.  

 

Security officials argue that end-to-end encryption makes it harder for law enforcement agencies to investigate serious crimes, including terrorism and child exploitation. On the other hand, Apple and other tech firms insist that strong encryption is vital for protecting user privacy, particularly in an era of increasing cyber threats and data breaches.  

 

By removing ADP, Apple will, in some cases, regain the ability to access user data stored in iCloud, such as iMessages. This means that if legally required, the company could provide this data to authorities. However, with ADP enabled, Apple is entirely locked out and cannot access the data under any circumstances.  

 

Expressing disappointment over the situation, Apple issued a statement condemning the loss of ADP in the UK:  

"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. 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 United Kingdom."  

 

This latest development is part of a larger battle between US technology companies and the UK government over privacy and security measures. Successive UK administrations have argued that encryption, in its current form, obstructs criminal investigations, making it more difficult to track down offenders.  

 

However, Apple and other major tech firms have consistently refused to weaken encryption, maintaining that any compromise would not only violate user trust but also create security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by bad actors.  

 

The UK government has been seeking solutions to this issue for some time, but with Apple taking a firm stance on encryption, the debate over privacy versus security is far from over.

 

 

 

Based on a report by Sky News 2025-02-24

 

 

[JonnyF]

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

On the other hand, Apple and other tech firms insist that strong encryption is vital for protecting user privacy, particularly in an era of increasing cyber threats and data breaches.  

 

Not in the deeply authoritarian UK.

 

The state must have access to everything. Privacy is a thing of the past. Big Brother is watching, and they want you to know it. 

[James105]

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

In response to government pressure, Apple has disabled ADP as an option for new users and is now preparing a process to phase out the feature for those who are already using it. The move has reignited the ongoing debate between tech companies and governments over encryption and privacy.  

 

Labour are authoritarian morons.  Demanding a "back door" by any authoritarian government that wishes to spy on its citizens provides an avenue (worldwide) for hackers to get access to some pretty sensitive data as that is what apple uses to store passwords etc so no surprise they won't do it.  Not providing the most secure options only weakens security for UK users and allows those same hackers an easier route to those passwords.   

 

The UK is now the only country in the world that, due to its moronic and incompetent government, actively goes out of their way to make its citizens less secure.   It's clearly not enough  for them that 3rd world cultural enrichers can freely cross the physical "border" with impunity and benefits, now the virtual world door is left open to so UK citizens can be enriched remotely.   

 

Lets hope that altruistic hackers target the private and sensitive data of the MPs that demanded this so they can reap the benefits of being virtually enriched and having their private photos and messages publicly aired due to their authoritarian stupidity.    

[Chomper Higgot]

25 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

Labour are authoritarian morons.  Demanding a "back door" by any authoritarian government that wishes to spy on its citizens provides an avenue (worldwide) for hackers to get access to some pretty sensitive data as that is what apple uses to store passwords etc so no surprise they won't do it.  Not providing the most secure options only weakens security for UK users and allows those same hackers an easier route to those passwords.   

 

The UK is now the only country in the world that, due to its moronic and incompetent government, actively goes out of their way to make its citizens less secure.   It's clearly not enough  for them that 3rd world cultural enrichers can freely cross the physical "border" with impunity and benefits, now the virtual world door is left open to so UK citizens can be enriched remotely.   

 

Lets hope that altruistic hackers target the private and sensitive data of the MPs that demanded this so they can reap the benefits of being virtually enriched and having their private photos and messages publicly aired due to their authoritarian stupidity.    

The notice was served on Apple under The Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

 

[James105]

14 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The notice was served on Apple under The Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

 

 

So why has it happened today under these authoritarian morons?  They demanded this.  They are in government.  They could have done nothing. Blaming something that happened today on something that occurred in 2016 is ridiculous, even for you.  

[Chomper Higgot]

15 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

So why has it happened today under these authoritarian morons?  They demanded this.  They are in government.  They could have done nothing. Blaming something that happened today on something that occurred in 2016 is ridiculous, even for you.  

The authoritarianism was written into the 2016 legislation and was opposed by civil liberties groups, lead by Liberty. 
 

I’m sure you backed Liberty on this at the time.

 

The 2023 Independent Review had this to say:

 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-the-investigatory-powers-act-2016--2/independent-review-of-the-investigatory-powers-act-2016-accessible

 

[James105]

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The authoritarianism was written into the 2016 legislation and was opposed by civil liberties groups, lead by Liberty. 
 

I’m sure you backed Liberty on this at the time.

 

The 2023 Independent Review had this to say:

 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-the-investigatory-powers-act-2016--2/independent-review-of-the-investigatory-powers-act-2016-accessible

 

 

It didn't happen in 2016.

It didn't happen in 2023.

It did happen under Labour in 2025. 

 

Labour could have simply not demanded this from Apple and Apple would have kept things as they are just like the rest of the world that are allowed to protect their data including passwords with the highest possible security.   Apple are not just getting around to enacting a request from 2016 are they?   

 

Stop blaming previous governments for the actions of this moronic government.   Either they are too weak and incompetent to do anything themselves which means their idiotic supporters hunt down previous government requests/ideas that came to nothing, or they are the authoritarian clowns they appear to be.  Which is it?  

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, James105 said:

 

It didn't happen in 2016.

It didn't happen in 2023.

It did happen under Labour in 2025. 

 

Labour could have simply not demanded this from Apple and Apple would have kept things as they are just like the rest of the world that are allowed to protect their data including passwords with the highest possible security.   Apple are not just getting around to enacting a request from 2016 are they?   

 

Stop blaming previous governments for the actions of this moronic government.   Either they are too weak and incompetent to do anything themselves which means their idiotic supporters hunt down previous government requests/ideas that came to nothing, or they are the authoritarian clowns they appear to be.  Which is it?  

I’ve provided a link that includes very good arguments for the use of these powers.  
 

Refer testimonies included.

 

What you fail to grasp is there has never been an absolute right to privacy, technology providing inscription is a new challenge to legitimate investigation, it is providing a privacy that never existed and it is being abused by criminals.

 

 

 

 

[johng]

13 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What you fail to grasp is there has never been an absolute right to privacy, technology providing inscription is a new challenge to legitimate investigation, it is providing a privacy that never existed and it is being abused by criminals.

 

The criminals are  those "3 letter agencies" that  demand unfettered access to everyone else’s data  but woe betide anyone revealing their nefarious activities

(Snowden, Assange)

[Purdey]

Looks like they didn't hear what Vance said about the importance of free speech.