Written by: Haim Ravia, Dotan Hammer
Apple recently removed its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature in the UK, following a governmental order to allow circumvention of personal data encryption.
The British government, acting under the Investigatory Powers Act, demanded covert access to users’ encrypted data, effectively forcing Apple to create a backdoor. Rather than compromise its encryption, Apple chose to remove the ADP feature for UK users, a decision that has drawn criticism and heightened concerns about data security.
The UK government’s order, executed via a “technical capability notice,” sought to keep the backdoor’s existence secret, further alarming privacy advocates who view it as a serious threat to digital rights. Had Apple complied, it could have set a legal precedent for similar demands from other governments, including those with a history of mass surveillance.
This situation highlights the growing tension between governments seeking access to encrypted data for national security and law enforcement purposes and tech companies committed to protecting user privacy. Apple’s decision to remove the feature raises questions about the long-term viability of tech companies resisting government pressure to compromise security.
