An order by a judge in California on Tuesday triggered off a furious response from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who said the government wanted the company to provide a backdoor to its phones.
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Tech giant Apple and the FBI appeared headed for a deepening confrontation Wednesday after the company’s chief pledged to fight federal demands to help mine data from an iPhone used by one of the shooters in December’s terrorist attacks in San Bernardino.
Reacting to Cook’s stand, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump said he was floored that Apple had not volunteered to aid the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
No doubt, it’s a decision that is generating a lot of discussion, both for and against Apple’s stance on the matter – but Google apparently has their back.
Pichai acknowledged that law enforcement and intelligence agencies face “significant challenges in protecting the public against crime and terrorism”, and said that Google builds secure products to keep user information safe, but also hands over data “based on valid legal orders”.
Not even Apple can decrypt an encrypted iPhone, according to the company.
“The government suggests this tool could only be used once, on one phone”.
The FBI is attempting to crack a locked iPhone 5C belonging to Syed Rizwan Farook who gunned down 14 people in San Bernardino, California.
In a series of Tweets, Pichai said the government was “forcing companies to enable hacking”, a move which could set a “troubling precedent”. Cook also pledged respect for law enforcement and outrage over the shootings.
“Responsibility to lead” – But others believe Apple and Cook will prevail in the court of public opinion. But to think that Apple won’t allow us to get into her cell phone – who do they think they are?
Privacy advocates say creating an encryption bypass is too risky because it could potentially be used on any private citizen.
Others said a government victory could encourage regimes in China and other countries to make similar requests for access to smartphone data.
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“Apple chose to protect a dead ISIS terrorist’s privacy over the security of the American people”, said Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.
