The Home Office said: “We do not comment on operational issues, including, for example confirming or denying the existence of such a notice.”
The notice applies to all the content stored using Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP), which encrypt data, which means that Apple itself cannot see it.
This is an opt -in service and not all users choose to activate it.
If they lose access to their account, additional encryption means that there is no way to recover any of their data.
The firm has earlier said that instead of complying with any government’s demand, it will pull security services from the UK market so that they can be weakened by making the so -called “backdoor” so that the authorities on the demand for the user’s data. Provide access.
Cyber ​​security experts agree that once such an admission point is, the bad actor is already a matter of time before it is detected.
And withdrawing the product from the UK, Enough cannot be enough to ensure compliance – the Investigation Powers Act applies worldwide to any tech firm with the UK market, even if not in the UK.
According to the law, the Tech Dev can appeal against the demand of the government, but during this process, the decision cannot be delayed even if it is eventually overthrown.
The government believes that the encryption enables the criminals to be hidden more easily, and the FBI in the United States has also been criticized for the ADP device.
Surrey University’s cyber security expert Professor Alan Woodward said he was “stunned”, and the Big Brother Watch, who runs the privacy campaign, called the reports “disturbing”.
The group said in a statement, “This misguided attempt to tackle crime and terrorism will not make the UK safe, but it will eliminate the basic rights and civil liberties of the entire population.”
British children’s charity NSPCC has previously described the encryption as being on the first line of abuse with children because it enables abusers to share hidden content.
But Apple says privacy for its customers is at the center of all its products and services.
In 2024, the company fought the proposed changes in the Investigation Powers Act, calling it the government’s “unprecedented overs”.
These changes also included the government to veto new security measures before their implementation. They were transferred to the law.
“The main issue that is being used by the use of such powers is that it is unlikely to conclude,” said Lisa Fort, a cyber security expert from the Red Goat.
“Criminals and terrorists will simply attract other platforms and techniques to other platforms and techniques to avoid it.
