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Apple CEO: Unlocking terrorist’s iPhone ‘bad for America’

The interview represented Cook’s first remarks since releasing a statement through Apple’s website explaining why the company was resisting the federal judge’s order.

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Apple has ordered its engineers to develop new security measures for the iPhone that would be impossible for even the computer giant to break, according to a Wednesday report. He also gave ABC News anchor David Muir an exclusive interview in which he said creating a master key would be “bad for America”. “We would never write it. We have never written it-and that is what is at stake here”, Apple’s CEO said. “Maybe it’s an operating system for surveillance, maybe it’s the ability for law enforcement to turn on the camera”, he said.

Apple is battling the USA government over unlocking devices in at least 10 cases in addition to its high-profile dispute involving the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino attackers, court documents show.

“A lot of people are framing the issue as a conflict between national security and privacy, but really this is a matter about national security versus national security”, said Lyon. However, information security experts have accused the government of taking advantage of the San Bernardino shooting to create a precedent for tech industry capitulation on privacy matters.

With posters saying “Don’t break our phones” and displaying cell phone images saying “No entry” in hands, the high-spirited protesters braved drizzling rain and bitter wind outside the Fifth Avenue Apple Store.

Such decisions shouldn’t be made in courtrooms on a case by case basis, Cook said, and urged Congress to pass laws after a public debate.

The FBI has asked Apple to limit the number of times a passcode can be tried in order to crack into the shooter’s phone. “The protection of people’s data is incredibly important, and so the trade-off here is we know that doing this could expose people to incredible vulnerabilities”.

“We found out about the filing from the press and I dont think thats the way the railroad should be run”, he said.

“This (master key) is not something we would create”, Mr Cook said.

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“This is not a position we like to be in”, Cook continued.

“The FBI clearly has a legitimate basis to try to understand what is on a phone that is part of a very active investigation”, Brennan said.

“I wish they would have contacted us earlier”, Cook said. “To oppose your government on something doesn’t feel right”.

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The company says the Obama administration should seek congressional approval of a new law to deal with the issue.

Tim Cook ABC News