Apple Says ‘No Thanks’ to the UK’s Spy Games, Yanks Encrypted Storage Instead

When push comes to shove, Apple would rather kill off its most secure storage feature than roll over for the UK government’s prying eyes.

On Friday, Apple straight-up disabled Advanced Data Protection—its most locked-down, bulletproof iCloud encryption—for new users in the UK. The reason? Britain’s Investigatory Powers Act (a.k.a. the “Snoopers’ Charter”) is demanding Cupertino build a backdoor into its cloud, giving law enforcement a skeleton key to users’ private data.

Apple’s answer? A hard nope.

Encryption or Extortion?

Let’s cut through the bureaucratic fluff. The UK Home Office wanted Apple to break its own encryption, making every iPhone user in the world more vulnerable—just so British cops and spies could rifle through cloud-stored files at will.

Apple, to its credit, refused to be bullied. Instead of bowing to the demand, it pulled the plug on Advanced Data Protection for new users in Britain. For those already using it? Enjoy it while you can—because Apple’s eventually going to force you to turn it off, or you’ll lose access to your cloud entirely.

“We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by Advanced Data Protection will not be available to our customers in the United Kingdom,” Apple said in a statement dripping with corporate restraint.

Translation: this is absolute garbage, and we hate it.

The Home Office’s Hypocrisy

Of course, the UK government isn’t exactly keen on admitting it just gutted data security for millions of citizens.

Asked about Apple’s decision, a Home Office spokesperson defaulted to the classic non-answer:

“We do not comment on operational matters.”

Translation? Yeah, we did this. No, we won’t talk about it.

One unnamed UK official went even further, throwing out the old “privacy isn’t absolute” argument. Because, you know, what’s a little mass surveillance between friends? They even had the nerve to say that end-to-end encryption doesn’t stop phishing attacks—which is like banning locks on doors because some people open them for burglars anyway.

The Bigger Picture: A Global Precedent

This isn’t just about the UK. The real fear among privacy advocates and security experts is who’s next. If Britain can muscle Apple into gutting encryption, what stops other governments from trying the same stunt?

China? Russia? Every tinpot dictator who wants an easier way to keep tabs on dissidents? Weakening encryption anywhere weakens it everywhere. And once you bake a backdoor into security, you don’t get to decide who walks through it.

That’s why cybersecurity pros—including those in the U.S. government—have long pushed for end-to-end encryption as the only way to keep hackers (and authoritarian regimes) out of personal data.

As Matthew Sinclair of the Computer & Communications Industry Association put it:

“Weakening encryption for the sensitive personal data that British consumers have on their phones is a worrying step backwards.”

That’s corporate-speak for: The UK just made its citizens less safe, and it’s a colossally bad idea.

What’s Next?

Apple isn’t entirely out of options. Technically, it can challenge the order in secret, though it’s legally forbidden from stalling compliance while it fights.

But make no mistake—this move by the UK isn’t about catching criminals. It’s about normalizing government access to private data. And once that door is open, good luck shutting it.

For now, Apple still offers end-to-end encryption on iMessages, FaceTime, and other services—but once your data hits iCloud without Advanced Data Protection? It’s fair game.

Oh, and in case you were wondering—Google’s Android phones aren’t much better. While they do offer encrypted messaging over RCS, Android backups are only encrypted by default if you’re on the latest version. The real kicker? Cross-platform encryption between iPhones and Androids is still a work in progress.

So, the big question remains: Is your data actually safe?

If the UK government has anything to say about it, not for long.