The United Kingdom government has reportedly issued a “technical capability notice” under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), demanding that Apple create a backdoor for its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) services.

The request, issued last month, reportedly applies to all Apple users worldwide.

Apple’s ADP service employs end-to-end encryption, meaning only account holders can access their data, not even Apple.

The company has strongly opposed such demands before and may withdraw certain features from the UK market rather than comply.

Apple declined to comment, but it previously warned that the IPA could undermine encryption through secret orders.

Cybersecurity expert Alan Woodward called the notice a major escalation, stating Apple’s reputation would suffer if it complied.

Experts also warn that forcing a backdoor could violate UK-EU data-sharing agreements and disrupt personal data flows.

The Home Office did not confirm the request, citing operational confidentiality.

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