They disabled the ability for new users to use ADP.
If you use ADP, only you have the encryption keys. The UK wants Apple to keep a copy of the decryption keys.
There is nothing that can be done to data that is already protected by ADP. At worst Apple can delete it, or turn over encrypted data but there is nothing that is likely to exist in the next 100 years that can break the encryption (even hypothetical quantum computers).
As an interesting side note, if you use Windows and use Bitlocker to encrypt your hard drives while logged into a Microsoft account then Microsoft backs up your recovery key “for your convenience”. They’ve produced these recovery keys for subpoenas.
“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,”
It’ll eventually be completely removed, but they seem to have some time to be in compliance and so they’ll give their customers time to move before it’s all deleted.
…is that not what they’re doing?
No.
They disabled the ability for new users to use ADP.
If you use ADP, only you have the encryption keys. The UK wants Apple to keep a copy of the decryption keys.
There is nothing that can be done to data that is already protected by ADP. At worst Apple can delete it, or turn over encrypted data but there is nothing that is likely to exist in the next 100 years that can break the encryption (even hypothetical quantum computers).
As an interesting side note, if you use Windows and use Bitlocker to encrypt your hard drives while logged into a Microsoft account then Microsoft backs up your recovery key “for your convenience”. They’ve produced these recovery keys for subpoenas.
That is what the UK wants Apple to do.
So existing users can continue using ADP?
Yes, for the moment.
It’ll eventually be completely removed, but they seem to have some time to be in compliance and so they’ll give their customers time to move before it’s all deleted.