As of 15:00, new Apple users in the UK can no longer enable Advanced Data Protection (APD) of their data, an end-to-end encrypted backup. In response to the government’s requests to secure a backdoor to Apple’s encrypted ecosystem, the company has decided to abandon this feature, and will still only provide data with law enforcement, if they have a warrant. 

In a statement, Mike Salem, UK Country Associate for the Consumer Choice Center (CCC), reacted to the news: 

“This unfortunate move is a direct result of the government’s own decision to force tech companies to hand over the keys to our data, giving them a blank cheque to access any of our information without proper due process.”

“Everyone in the UK should be extremely worried about what the government aims to access not just in the UK, but across the world. Over 40 public authorities, including police, intelligence agencies, HMRC, and even local councils can apply for such warrants with broad powers for communication and data surveillance, and with almost always guaranteed approval.”

Read the full text here