Apple has taken the unprecedented step of disabling its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature for UK customers following pressure from the British government to gain access to encrypted user data.

ADP, which utilizes end-to-end encryption to ensure that only account holders can access their stored photos, documents, and other sensitive information, was designed so that not even Apple itself could view this data.

Earlier this month, the UK government—acting under the Investigatory Powers Act—requested the right to access such encrypted data. Apple, which has consistently resisted the idea of creating any form of encryption “backdoor,” now says that activation of ADP is no longer available in the UK.

Starting from 1500 GMT on Friday, any UK user trying to opt in is met with an error message, and existing users are slated to lose access at a later date. With ADP withdrawn, customers’ data stored on iCloud will revert to standard encryption, a method that permits Apple to access information and share it with law enforcement under a valid warrant.

In a statement, Apple expressed its deep disappointment over the decision, reiterating its commitment to safeguarding user privacy:

"As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products, and we never will."

The company added that it remains dedicated to providing the highest level of cloud security and hopes to restore full encryption services in the UK when circumstances permit.

The move has elicited strong reactions from cybersecurity experts and privacy advocates. Professor Alan Woodward of Surrey University criticized the development as “an act of self-harm” by the government, arguing that it ultimately weakens the security of online data for UK users.

Similarly, privacy expert Caro Robson described Apple’s withdrawal of ADP as “unprecedented,” cautioning that if tech companies begin to pull products in response to government demands, it could set a dangerous global precedent.

Former Twitter executive Bruce Daisley warned that conceding to such pressure might encourage other governments to impose similar demands on American tech firms.

While neither Apple nor the Home Office has confirmed details about the government’s request, multiple sources—including reports from the BBC and the Washington Post—indicate that the demand was issued as part of an effort to enhance law enforcement access to user data.

Privacy campaigners have decried the move as an “unprecedented attack” on individual privacy. Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, argued on social media that a forced global backdoor would ultimately jeopardize the safety of users around the world.

US Senator Ron Wyden also cautioned that Apple’s decision might embolden authoritarian regimes, and suggested that such actions could prompt the US to reconsider its intelligence-sharing arrangements with the UK.

Adding another layer to the debate, Rani Govender, policy manager for child safety online at the NSPCC, urged Apple and other tech companies to balance robust data protection with enhanced child safety measures, noting that end-to-end encryption can complicate efforts to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material.

This latest development occurs against a backdrop of growing concern in the US over foreign regulatory pressures on its tech sector. US Vice President JD Vance recently highlighted worries about increasing international oversight, emphasizing that such pressures could lead to significant changes in how American tech companies operate globally.

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