[PRIVACY] The Encryption War Just Got Real - Comments Page 1

The FBI offered to give the phone to Apple to do the bypass in their labs and then return the phone to the FBI. Then the FBI could figure out the password without deleting all the information. I think that is a reasonable request.

What the government is asking for will set a precedent, which will open the door for government intrusions on a grand scale. There is no doubt that such a request by any government is going to put us in an Orwellian state. This is no different than what happened in 1921, Birth Certificate, 1933, the Social Security Number and 1938, Erie vs Tompkins, which set the tone for all future court cases that implies "We The People" are now all "commercial chattel"!

Most of the commentary regarding this case ignores the fact that the true owner of the device in question is the employer of the alleged terrorist. As in any other case of a "lost" password, Apple should be willing to provide the information... under court order, if necessary, but on a case-by-case basis. Any sort of "back door access key is a governmental over-reach.

Simple question. What if your life or Tim Cooks life depended on getting into this killers phone. Would you still say no? Here you have 2 admitted Isis supporters who killed 14 ? Americans. Do I want wholesale harvesting? No. We do need some method of getting this info and Apple is not helping.

We're from the government and we're here to help.

I stick up for the government. So what if I call Vladimir Putin 7 times a day? I would rather have my info public than watch the news where a football game, concert, or other public gathering was blown up by a terrorist who, according to Apple, could keep his/her conversation private. Come on people, use your brains for thinking rather than for burial. 88 year old, been around for a while.

Never, ever trust the U.S. government. I applaud Apple's stance.

Maybe Apple should compromise; we'll unlock this phone when and if the gov overturns the 2nd. amendment.

Have Apple unlock the phone and give it to the FBI.

I think Apple is being obstructionist and I hope the court rules against them. Fourteen people were slaughtered.

I agree with Michael. I can't see what all the fuss is about. If Apple unlocked *that one phone*, in the presence of the FBI if necessary, and then locked away or destroyed the program they wrote for the purpose, how does that present a security risk to all Apple users?
One thing is for certain: it's going to cost mega dollars to resolve this in the courts simply because people are too stubborn and can't allow themselves to be reasonable.

You are missing the essential point--once that technology is out there (i.e. Pandora's box) there will be no way to keep it from falling into the bad guys hands. It will only be a matter of time. The mayhem that could be created in being able to access these phones, the financial markets that could be crippled would truly be a national disaster. What would you do if an emergency broadcast came out that due to a breach in communications financial markets would be closed. Updates when available would follow. No notice, just doing your job and suddenly you can not access funds. The devastation that could be racked on us could cripple us, leaving us vunerable to a dirty bomb. We cannot give our enemies that much potential power over us. A prudent and thoughtful government wouldn't even want to take the risk by making this request of Apple.

I come down on the side of the government here. I gather everything can be hacked. That is what I was told in the early '70s before the web about mainframes; and I imagine it still is the case. Apparently, it is a truth about all software. That the government or Apple can't hack an iPhone doesn't mean that it can't be hacked.

The main point, and thereby the main issue, is once this technology is out there; it cannot be controlled. It will only be a matter of time when the technology falls into ISIS hands. And no one cares who you call, the concern is to the financial and banking business. You cripple those services , you've crippled the country. A responsible and knowledgeable government wouldn't want this technology created let alone being the ones to ask for it. The government does not understand technology or how it works. That why non-government industry leaders had to be called in to fix the governments website for the Affordable Care Act. Listen to the experts.

I'm always reading that the government intercepts all phone calls already. Is this true or not? How did the government successfully prosecute cases before there were cel phones? This is an overreach and an excuse for lazy investigative technique. I would think there is more than enough evidence available to successfully prosecute this case without potentially invading the privacy of other citizens, now or in the future. I'm with Apple on this one.

I applaud Mr. Cook. This will only allow the federal government additional measures to intrude into the lives of hard working Americans. In my opinion the United States government is quite possibly and most assuredly the most corrupt government on the face of the planet. Case in point. Social security is over funded. It wasn't their money to take. Another. Allowing banks to go into your accounts and use your money to bail the banks out for their misgivings. (Commonly called bail in's).

Apple should think more about "Unlock/Enable" the Radio chip inside iPhones than this publicity stunt they r involved in so close to a new and improved iPhone announcement in March.

As a retired US Navy officer, I COMPLETELY support Apple's position. Apple has, and has given to the FBI, the terrorist's iCloud backups up until about 6 weeks before the attack, so it isn't as if there's tons of data that might be there.

And if the FBI really wants to track the movements of the terrorists, they could probably find everything they want in the data that they've already sucked up from other sources including the ubiquitous license plate readers.

Of course, I'm also the guy who thinks that Edward Snowden should be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and then executed for treason. Definitely mixed feelings!

This comes down to greed on Apples part. They are helping the enemy.
After the next terror attack I hope the victims relatives will sue Apple for BILLIONS.

I think the final order will be for apple to get the information on that particular phone and hand it over to the FBI. I don't think that is unreasonable. Since it belong to a DEAD criminal. I am not a friend of apple. You might say since they took that computer company to court I 1986 for clowning, and won I am against them. 99% of all desktop computers (not apple) are IBM CLOWNs.If IBM should forbid clowning 99% on the computers in circulation would not be there. That is how I look on it and since I make computers maker I have to hate Apple stance on that case. But I have to say they have BALLS when it come to this iPhone business for a dead Criminal. I am watching it with zeal and I think the FBI will get the information on that particular phone.

If I'm understanding it all I'm getting that Apple CAN but WON'T unlock the phone and most people who are against it are against it because if they unlock it that will make the technology present to hackers. Right? Well, it seems to me that if Apple CAN unlock it then the technology already exist. What I'm having a hard time with is if the Apple can encrypt their devices to the point they are unpenetrable then how come the government cant do likewise to it's computers. Sounds like the wrong people are guarding the hen house to me.