Apple Drops Advanced Data Protection in the UK

Apple has decided to pull its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature—offering end-to-end encryption for iCloud data—for UK users. This comes after the UK government, under the Investigatory Powers Act, demanded access to user data. ADP ensures only account holders can view their data, not even Apple. But with this move, UK users will lose one of Apple’s strongest privacy tools, meaning data stored in iCloud (like photos and documents) will now be accessible to Apple and, potentially, law enforcement with a warrant.

So, did Apple have a choice? Not really. It essentially boiled down to two options:

1. Open a backdoor, which would have gone completely against Apple’s public commitment to privacy and risked creating global vulnerabilities.
2. Withdraw the feature from the UK market, which is what Apple chose to do.

Apple could have tried other approaches, like challenging the government in court, negotiating a compromise, or ignoring the law altogether. But realistically, none of these options would have worked without damaging Apple’s reputation, breaking UK law, or risking being banned from the UK altogether. Removing ADP was likely the least bad option, even if it’s frustrating for UK users.

That is why I never try to put all my eggs in one basket.

Want Better Privacy?

If you’re concerned about your data like I am, consider switching to services like ProtonMail or Proton Drive, Proton Calendar, Proton VPN, Proton Pass and Proton Docs which offers end-to-end encryption by default and prioritises your privacy—no matter where you are.