Welcome

The Foundation for Information Policy Research is an independent body that studies the interaction between information technology and society. Its goal is to identify technical developments with significant social impact, commission and undertake research into public policy alternatives, and promote public understanding and dialogue between technologists and policy-makers in the UK and Europe.

Announcements

Growing up in the online world

26 May 2026

FIPR has responded to the Government's consultation on Growing up in the online world to express deep concern with the proposals to implement strong Age Verification by default for online services. These will not only affect children, but all adults in the UK. We fully support the ambition to reduce online harm to young people and acknowledge the many deep harms that have emerged in part from the business models of the major online platforms. However, many of the proposed solutions for Age Verification will exacerbate the very harms they are seeking to prevent, as children seek out insecure circumvention methods that will lead them to more harmful content or expose them to the risk of blackmail and abuse. These approaches will also cause serious issues of digital exclusion for many adults in the UK. Any real solution cannot be imposed 'over the heads' of the children who it will most affect and those who care for them. While it is tempting to rely on 'magic' technological fixes for online harm, these will not work, will concentrate even more power in the hands of large tech platforms, and will risk letting them off the hook for the wider social harms to which they contribute.

Our full response to the consultation can be read here.

Ofcom work plan for 2026

5 February 2026

FIPR has submitted a response to the Ofcom consultation on its work plan for 2026, arguing that the UK needs an ambitious programme of technically-informed work on the digital rights, privacy, and information policy issues that we currently face. We outline key challenges for 2026-27 in relation to AI and communications services, emerging cross-jurisdictional flashpoints and 'digital sovereignty', age checks with regard to user-to-user regulated services, and debate and policy on social media and children. Across these policy areas, we suggest that Ofcom engage in further consultation with technical expert groups, including FIPR, on the benefits and negative consequences of potential technical designs, and what is possible -- in technical terms -- for the implementation of desired government policy, rather than leaving crucial decisions in the hands of industry or for post-legislative implementation.

We emphasise the importance of policymakers and regulators' engagement with technical stakeholders and expertise from outside the platform and 'big tech' industries, and of renewed consideration of the negative consequences of potential technical designs and restrictions. It is particularly important to consider the challenges -- differing technical consequences, effects on rights, and harms -- posed for marginalised groups who, in the context of a global resurgence of far right politics, face both the most acute harms in online spaces and the most immediate potential for negative consequences from intensified digital surveillance. We recommend that Ofcom commission further research work on currently proposed technological approaches to regulating platform-based public communication. FIPR is committed to the production of non-partisan expertise in technology and information policy, and would be delighted to support Ofcom in this role, along with stakeholders from civil society.

Our full response to the consultation can be read here.

The Home Office Technical Capability Notice to Apple

21 July 2025

FIPR has written a report explaining the key policy issues at stake regarding the Home Office's Technical Capability Notice issued to Apple. This notice requires Apple to make technical changes to its Advanced Data Protection service, which provides users with secure encrypted storage, to allow the UK Government to access encrypted user data on request. This order -- initially made in secret and which Apple is not allowed to discuss even with the US Congress -- effectively requires Apple to build a backdoor into its encrypted systems. It has been the source of significant controversy, with the US Government pushing back against the order and making it an issue in ongoing trade negotiations between the US and UK. We explain the key issues behind the case, arguing that this fundamentally breaks security and privacy for Apple's users, and outlining some of the many alternatives which law enforcement have to these backdoors.

Ben Collier, FIPR's chair, said: "It's not surprising that the Home Office's attempt to compel Apple to undermine the security of their products is facing resistance from the US Government. The UK Government’s order would effectively ban Apple from telling the US Congress what they had been asked to do. Our basic human rights and democratic freedoms rely on security, privacy, and the accountability of our institutions. Tactics like issuing encryption removal orders to tech companies will only make every iPhone user in the UK less secure. As the UK government's own guidance for companies and the public makes clear, strong encryption is at the heart of keeping the services we all use safe and secure. There is no way to undermine encryption which doesn’t leave huge weaknesses that criminals and hostile state actors can exploit. Law enforcement have much more effective tactics -- ones which don’t involve undermining our shared security -- to investigate and disrupt serious criminal activity where encryption is being used. The government would be sensible to step back and retract this notice, and instead focus on the important work of renewing the UK’s basic infrastructure, digital security, and privacy protections."

Read the report HERE.

For older FIPR publications and announcements see our archive.