On Friday, 7 February 2025, the Washington Post reported that the UK government had issued a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) to Apple under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. This secret order would force Apple to build a backdoor into its end-to-end encrypted cloud services, jeopardizing the security and privacy of all users worldwide, not just in the UK.
The ISOC Switzerland Chapter, alongside over 100 civil society organizations, companies, and cybersecurity experts, co-signed a joint letter led by the Global Encryption Coalition (GEC). Addressed to the UK Home Secretary, the letter urges the Home Office to rescind its demand that Apple compromise its encrypted services. It highlights the severe risks this order poses to security, privacy, the economy, and freedom of expression.
As encryption advocates have long warned, any backdoor for law enforcement creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals, foreign espionage, and other malicious actors. The UK’s move represents a dangerous attempt to undermine encryption, endangering the privacy and security of millions of Apple users worldwide.
Update: According to a Bloomberg article dated February 21, 2025, Apple stated on Friday that Advanced Data Protection, an optional feature that adds end-to-end encryption to a wide assortment of user data, is no longer available in the UK for new users.