Apple fights a lonely battle against FBI to protect user privacy

Tim Cook Fights for User Privacy, Finds No Support from Other Tech Leaders

This week has been a wild 1 for Apple fans, privacy activists, people advocating that security concerns trump privacy laws, and just near anybody else who reads the news. The Apple versus FBI battle began when a federal judge ruled that Apple has to aid the government in unlocking an iPhone 5c that belonged to a shooter in the recent San Bernardino attacks. The FBI says that there could be useful data on the smartphone that could help it in the ongoing investigation, and wants Apple tree to create a backdoor by rewriting iOS to get in possible to gain access to the user data.

apple fbi encryption battle

A latest report from the NYTimesreveals that "Apple tree had asked the F.B.I. to result its awarding for the tool under seal. Simply the government made it public," likely to generate public sympathy for the FBI'due south position. Apple tree CEO Tim Cook then made his side of the story public by writing a very long open up letter explaining why weakening encryption and building what FBI wants is too dangerous,

Specifically, the FBI wants u.s.a. to make a new version of the iPhone operating organisation, circumventing several of import security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation. In the wrong easily, this software — which does not exist today — would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone's physical possession.

[...] brand no error: Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this mode would undeniably create a backstairs. And while the government may fence that its employ would be express to this case, there is no fashion to guarantee such control.

During this entire ordeal, there take been several supporters (read: Edward Snowden) and an equal number of people who think that giving FBI access to 1 single iPhone will somehow fix the terrorism issue (Donald Trump) and won't be a difficult hit on user privacy and digital security at all. The problem is, whatsoever Apple does today or whichever civil rights, users give upward today to aid FBI potentially go a pb in the ongoing investigation, it will NOT end here. Even if somehow FBI assures everyone that this is a once request, how will it ensure that terrorists and criminal hackers won't as well utilise the same backstairs? Why does anyone think that several other countries, including some of the virtually repressive regimes, where Apple tree or other tech companies offer their products and services won't demand to do the aforementioned for them?

If the Usa authorities dictating iPhone encryption design sounds ok to yous, ask yourself how y'all'll feel when Communist china demands the aforementioned.

— Matthew Light-green (@matthew_d_green) February 17, 2022

The debate betwixt defeating user privacy and security by weakening encryption to go on up with the demands of law enforcement agencies, is one that has been going on for some years now and doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon. Simply, this will maybe be the biggest and hardest ever hitting on user privacy and security equally it undermines "decades of security advancements that protect our customers — including tens of millions of American citizens — from sophisticated hackers and cybercriminals," Cook said in his alphabetic character. Weakening encryption will only put user data and their privacy at chance, whether it'due south an American or a Chinese user using an iPhone or a Nexus.

The U.S. authorities wants us to trust that information technology won't misuse this power. But nosotros can all imagine the myriad means this new authority could be abused. - EFF

Industry's response to Apple's fight with the feds:

This is not the first fourth dimension that police enforcement is using national security to get even more access to user data. The Department of Justice (DoJ) had previously demanded for warrantless access to a suspect'southward phone. While the FBI is non a new name in this game of 'requite united states of america all the admission,' what is more disappointing is that non many large names of the tech world accept come forward to support Apple. Users accept filed petitions, activists and the civil society take written support messages, but there is no argument from the likes of Mark Zuckerberg or Eric Shimidt and others. Among the statements from Donald Trump and his friends at the Homeland Security, why is Cook lacking this kind of support from his peers? Later Snowden openly chosen on Google on its silence, Sundar Pichai had a few things to say on the matter.

This is the most important tech example in a decade. Silence means @google picked a side, only it'south not the public's. https://t.co/mi5irJcr25

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) February 17, 2022

Here is what Pichai had to say about the outcome:

Important post by @tim_cook. Forcing companies to enable hacking could compromise users' privacy

We know that constabulary enforcement and intelligence agencies face significant challenges in protecting the public against crime and terrorism

We build secure products to go on your information safe and we give law enforcement access to data based on valid legal orders

But that'due south wholly different than requiring companies to enable hacking of client devices & data. Could exist a troubling precedent

Looking forward to a thoughtful and open discussion on this important result

The trouble? The subtle tone that is not even sure about supporting users' right to privacy. First, Pichai starts by saying that the FBI'due south demands of creating a backstairs "could compromise users' privacy?" Could? Information technology volition definitely compromise users' privacy. And then he proceeds to say that he is looking forrad to an open discussion. At a fourth dimension when Google could have earned some extra PR points, Pichai holds his position dorsum by restricting himself to be another watcher and not an agile participant.

Google is the biggest rival of Apple - we know that. Only this is not near a tech company and its competitors, this is not about an Apple fan and his fight with an Android fan. This is style too personal than fighting over numbers or the size of the smartphones; this is almost users' correct to data and privacy. Instead of taking a articulate and vocal stand with something like "Google stands with Apple against the authorities," Pichai is pursuing a laissez-faire policy on this battle.

Past proverb that Apple giving in to the regime's demand volition be a "troubling precedent" for others, it is clear that Google is just interested to run across which route this battle takes and how Google volition need to respond when a similar request comes its mode in the futurity. Simply as they say, at least Google did say something even if information technology felt like Pichai did that one-half-heartedly at the request of Android users who had been asking for his stance. Other tech leaders are nonetheless weighing which side of the contend volition be more favorable for them in the future.

It should be noted that some did take a clear and vocal stand up against authorities'southward demands to weaken encryption. Amongst this group is Mozilla (ane of the early supporters), WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook.

We condemn terrorism and take total solidarity with victims of terror. Those who seek to praise, promote, or plan terrorist acts accept no place on our services. Nosotros besides appreciate the difficult and essential work of police force enforcement to keep people prophylactic. When nosotros receive lawful requests from these government we comply. However, we will continue to fight aggressively against requirements for companies to weaken the security of their systems. These demands would create a spooky precedent and obstruct companies' efforts to secure their products. -Facebook

While Facebook published a routine press release with a lack of response from Zuckerberg himself, who otherwise routinely posts on the social media site, Twitter's CEO Jack Dorsey fabricated a clear argument of being with Cook:

Nosotros stand with @tim_cook and Apple tree (and give thanks him for his leadership)! https://t.co/XrnGC9seZ4

— jack (@jack) February 18, 2022

Jan Koum, chief executive of Facebook-owned WhatsApp also expressed his support for Apple's stance:

I accept e'er admired Tim Cook for his stance on privacy and Apple tree's efforts to protect user data and couldn't agree more with everything said in their Customer Letter today. We must not permit this dangerous precedent to be ready. Today our freedom and our liberty is at stake.

Apple is given until Feb 26 to fix its response to the court order. Every bit Apple stands by its plans of strengthening not weakening encryption, allow's hope others join Apple in this battle too, which if lost will ultimately put personal rubber at chance. Since this issue has become a political i where the law enforcement is using public stance to gain sympathy, information technology is crucial that both the public and the high-profile names of the world's major tech companies start supporting Apple's stand up on encryption.