First, Apple. After the ruling on Tuesday, CEO Tim Cook published a strongly worded open letter to the company’s customers explaining why Apple is opposing it.
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In a series of tweets Wednesday night, the company’s chief executive questioned the validity of a court order requiring Apple to help unlock the i-Phone of San Bernardino shooter, Syed Farook.
The government’s best bet may be to argue that its request doesn’t actually create a backdoor, even if that’s how Apple characterizes the request, says Robert Cattanach, a former Justice Department attorney.
Now some of Apple’s peers in the tech industry have spoken out in support of that stance – but with a collective mumble not a roar. The FBI has possession of Farook’s iPhone 5C, but investigators don’t have the passcode that would unlock the device and perhaps provide important clues in the case.
“The FBI wants us to make a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation”.
“Forcing companies to enable hacking could compromise user’s privacy”, the Indian-American CEO said as he supported Apple CEO Tim Cook’s stand”.
In Congress, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican Richard Burr, said, “Court orders are not optional and Apple should comply”. Technology companies say encryption software the phones contain keeps their customers safe from hackers and snoops. “And ultimately, we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect”. The FBI directive to Apple is on the lines of what the Indian government had sought from BlackBerry-providing encryption keys to its secure corporate emails and messenger services.
Predictions about whether Apple will be successful in its efforts to resist the government’s demands are across the board.
At the New York Times, Farhad Manjoo writes that “tech companies are destined to emerge victorious” in this pitched battle with the government.
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“The FBI may use different words to describe this tool, but make no mistake: Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a back door”.
