Tune in to “World News Tonight with David Muir” on ABC tonight (Wednesday, February 24 at 6:30 – 7:00pm EST) to watch the interview.
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In his first interview since the controversy erupted last week, Cook told ABC News that it was a hard decision to resist a court order directing Apple to override security features on an iPhone used by Syed Farook, one of two extremists who killed 14 people in the Southern California city in December.
‘This would be bad for America, ‘ Cook told ABC.
According to the report in the NY Times, Apple is hoping to close this loophole with a new software update, further complicating the FBI’s legal challenge. The FBI would then have to find another way to defeat Apple security, setting up a new cycle of court fights and, yet again, more technical fixes by Apple. Law enforcement agencies say the technology hinders their ability to disrupt criminal and terrorist activity. “Maybe it’s an operating system for surveillance”.
Assistant US Attorney Tracy Wilkison said it was necessary because Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, said he would fight the order. The extended exclusive interview will be available online at ABCNews.com immediately following the program.
Last week, at the request of the Justice Department, a federal judge ordered Apple to assist law enforcement.
Cook disputed FBI Director James Comey’s argument that the court order applies to only one phone.
San Francisco:Apple is battling the USA government over accessing locked devices in at least 10 cases around the country, in addition to 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.
Cook has already written an open letter to ensure iPhone users their privacy will not be compromised, while tech luminaries like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have also backed Apple’s right to keep the data out of the grasp of government forces. “I mean I don’t know where this stops”. “This is one of those things”, he said, doubling down on the company’s refusal to create a way for the Federal Bureau of Investigation to access data on the iPhone of the San Bernardino terrorists.
The Justice Department didn’t have immediate comment.
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Apple said the hack would be akin to “a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks – from restaurants and banks to stores and homes”. Apple is expected to file its legal response to the judge’s order by Friday.
