Apple has taken the unprecedented step of disabling its iCloud encryption security feature exclusively for UK users, reportedly following pressure from the British government.
The tech giant's decision means the United Kingdom is now the only country in the world where users cannot access this high-level data protection service.
Technology expert Will Guyatt described the move as "fairly unprecedented," marking a significant shift in how UK users' cloud-stored data will be protected.
Guyatt explained that iCloud encryption previously allowed users to save data on Apple's servers with exclusive access to their information.
"Until now, that has been encrypted. That means only you are the person with the key to unlock that," he told GB News.
The security feature meant that even Apple itself couldn't decode users' stored information if requested by law enforcement.
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This level of protection ensured that users' cloud-stored data remained completely private and inaccessible to third parties.
According to Guyatt, the UK government sought access to user data through a security backdoor, which Apple refused to provide.
"The UK asked for something Apple were not going to give them, a key," Guyatt explained.
Rather than compromise their billion-pound security system, Apple opted to remove the feature entirely for UK users.
Guyatt warned that creating such backdoors could be dangerous: "If you create a key or backdoor, it's not going to just be used by nice countries like the UK, other governments could get hold of this and hackers would."
The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with child safety advocates viewing it as a positive development.
"If you're an online child safety advocate, this is fantastic. No longer can there be pictures of child sexual abuse be hidden in these places," noted Guyatt.
However, he expressed concern about the broader impact on regular users.
"It penalises 99.9 per cent of society using it for legitimate means," he said.
The lack of transparency around the decision has raised questions, with Guyatt expressing frustration at the government's silence.
"I do wish the Government would communicate with us and tell us why this has happened," he said.
When asked about alternatives for users seeking to protect their data, Guyatt said the only way was moving away from Apple devices.
"Take it away from an Apple device. That is not the message I want to give people," he stated.
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The tech giant's decision means the United Kingdom is now the only country in the world where users cannot access this high-level data protection service.
Technology expert Will Guyatt described the move as "fairly unprecedented," marking a significant shift in how UK users' cloud-stored data will be protected.
Guyatt explained that iCloud encryption previously allowed users to save data on Apple's servers with exclusive access to their information.
"Until now, that has been encrypted. That means only you are the person with the key to unlock that," he told GB News.
The security feature meant that even Apple itself couldn't decode users' stored information if requested by law enforcement.
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This level of protection ensured that users' cloud-stored data remained completely private and inaccessible to third parties.
According to Guyatt, the UK government sought access to user data through a security backdoor, which Apple refused to provide.
"The UK asked for something Apple were not going to give them, a key," Guyatt explained.
Rather than compromise their billion-pound security system, Apple opted to remove the feature entirely for UK users.
Guyatt warned that creating such backdoors could be dangerous: "If you create a key or backdoor, it's not going to just be used by nice countries like the UK, other governments could get hold of this and hackers would."
The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with child safety advocates viewing it as a positive development.
"If you're an online child safety advocate, this is fantastic. No longer can there be pictures of child sexual abuse be hidden in these places," noted Guyatt.
However, he expressed concern about the broader impact on regular users.
"It penalises 99.9 per cent of society using it for legitimate means," he said.
The lack of transparency around the decision has raised questions, with Guyatt expressing frustration at the government's silence.
"I do wish the Government would communicate with us and tell us why this has happened," he said.
When asked about alternatives for users seeking to protect their data, Guyatt said the only way was moving away from Apple devices.
"Take it away from an Apple device. That is not the message I want to give people," he stated.
Find Out More...