By Bronte Price, PolitcKING
A Riverside judge directed Apple to help the FBI get around the San Bernardino shooters’ iPhone’s password protection and any auto-erase functions on Tuesday. The feds have been unsuccessful in their attempts to unlock the phone so far.
“The government has been unable to complete the search because it cannot access the iPhone’s encrypted content,” U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker wrote in a motion to the judge. “Apple has the exclusive technical means which would assist the government in completing its search, but has declined to provide that assistance voluntarily.”
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook issued a statement explaining the company’s reasons for declining to help the FBI unlock encrypted data hidden in a phone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.
All you need to know: #Apple vs. #FBIhttps://t.co/pQolSKnoFbpic.twitter.com/ESqBztFzEu
— Reuters Tech News (@ReutersTech) February 17, 2016
“The United States government has demanded that Apple take an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers. We oppose this order, which has implications far beyond the legal case at hand.”
The statement continued that this moment calls for public discussion, and Apple wants its customers and people around the country to understand what is at stake. Since iPhones and other smartphones hold so much information data and personal information, it is helpful for the FBI has access to these files in federal investigations. It also makes security that much more important for civilians to be able to keep their personal information safe.
“All that information needs to be protected from hackers and criminals who want to access it, steal it, and use it without our knowledge or permission,” the statement continues. “Customers expect Apple and other technology companies to do everything in our power to protect their personal information, and at Apple we are deeply committed to safeguarding their data.”
All the times Apple CEO Tim Cook has sworn to protect your iPhone privacy from the government. https://t.co/YOrSedEDdf
— Mashable (@mashable) February 17, 2016
The statement concludes that Apple believes the FBI’s intentions are good, however the company thinks it would be “wrong for the government to force us to build a backdoor into our products.” Apple says it ultimately fears that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect.
Here’s what Jesse Ventura has to say about Cyber Security in the U.S.:
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