UK Apple customers lose advanced data protection tool in 'disappointing' decision

Apple said it was 'gravely disppointed' to be removing Advanced Data Protection (ADP) after the Home Office demanded access to encrypted files stored in the cloud

Apple has removed its highest level of data protection from UK customers after the Government demanded access to user data.

The company said it was "gravely disappointed", blaming the Home Office for demanding the ability to access encrypted files stored in the cloud.

The tech giant has confirmed it is removing a tool called Advanced Data Protection (ADP) from use in the UK. Under this system only account holders could view files as they were end-to-end encrypted.

Apple said in a statement: "Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the United Kingdom to new users and current UK users will eventually need to disable this security feature.

"ADP protects iCloud data with end-to-end encryption, which means the data can only be decrypted by the user who owns it, and only on their trusted devices.

"We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by ADP will not be available to our customers in the UK given the continuing rise of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy."

It said it had never "built a backdoor" to any of its products - and never will.

Cyber security expert Prof Alan Woodward told the BBC it was a "very disappointing development" - amounting to "an act of self harm" by the government.

He said: "All the UK government has achieved is to weaken online security and privacy for UK based users It was naïve of the UK government to think they could tell a US technology company what to do globally."

In a statement the Home Office said: "We do not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any such notices."