The United Kingdom is demanding that Apple give them access to user data through a backdoor in their encryption system.

On Feb. 7th, the U.K. Home Office issued a “technical capability notice” in accordance with the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA). This is an act that requires companies to comply with law enforcement which can include sharing stored data.

The demand stems from Apple’s ADP (Advanced Data Protection) services that encrypt user data and store it in Apple’s Cloud servers. This data is only accessible to the owner of said data. This demand would not only affect Apple users in the U.K. but users worldwide.

Apple has not made any public statements on the issue, but last year the company submitted paperwork to parliament that shared their grievances with the IPA.

Apple says that the IPA “provided the government with authority to issue secret orders requiring providers to break encryption by inserting backdoors into their software program.” Apple takes user privacy and protection very seriously and has stated that the company would never build a backdoor and would rather withdraw “critical safety features” from that region.

According to The Guardian, Alan Woodard, a professor at Surrey University said, “I don’t see how this is to be resolved, as Apple has made such a big point of privacy for users. If they accede to this technical notice their reputation will be in tatters.”

Companies are legally not allowed to disclose if they have received a technology capability notice under the IPA. Apple filed their grievances after the company was given a warning that they may be getting a notice.

The Home Office has not made any statement other than saying, “We do not comment on operational matters, including, for example, confirming or denying the existence of any such notice.”

As of now, there have been no more updates from either Apple or the Home Office.