● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 neutral
Apple's Advanced Data Protection Creates Two-Tier Encryption for UK iCloud Users
Key points
- Apple's ADP is unavailable for new UK users from February 2025.
- Existing UK users with ADP retain the feature.
- This creates different levels of iCloud data protection in the UK.
- The situation relates to Apple's stance on government access to data.
UK Users Face Varied iCloud Protection
Apple has implemented a policy that results in two different levels of iCloud data protection for users in the UK. Users who enabled Advanced Data Protection (ADP) before February 2025 will continue to have it, protecting the majority of their iCloud data. However, new UK users or those who did not enable ADP by the deadline will not be able to activate this feature.
Background on Apple's Encryption Stance
This development is rooted in Apple's long-standing position on user privacy and encryption, which gained prominence after the Snowden/NSA revelations in 2013. In 2014, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that the company did not provide backdoors to government agencies and would resist such demands.
A key event was the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack, where the FBI sought Apple's assistance to access an attacker's iPhone. The FBI requested Apple create a modified iOS version to bypass security protections, which Apple publicly refused, citing the dangers of creating a 'master key' that could compromise all devices.
The 'Backdoor' Debate
Tim Cook described the FBI's requested software as the 'equivalent of cancer' and a 'master key' that, once built, could not be guaranteed to be used only for its intended purpose. He argued that a backdoor for one entity would be a backdoor for everyone, including malicious actors. Then-FBI Director James Comey expressed concern that devices could allow individuals to operate beyond the law.
FBI's Resolution and Continued Implications
The FBI eventually gained access to the San Bernardino iPhone through a third party, reportedly Cellebrite, and subsequently withdrew its legal action against Apple. This historical context underscores the ongoing tension between law enforcement's need for access and technology companies' commitment to user privacy and encryption, leading to situations like the current two-tier encryption in the UK.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
Apple's Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature, which encrypts most iCloud data, is no longer available to new UK users as of February 2025, creating a disparity in data protection among UK iCloud users. This situation stems from a decade-long history of Apple's resistance to government demands for device access and backdoors, highlighted by the 2015 San Bernardino case.