Apple And U.S Government Facing Off In Court Over iPhone Encryption

By Samir Ghanmi | Mar 21, 2016 10:38 AM EDT

TEXT SIZE    

On Tuesday March 22 in a closely watched case, Apple and the U.S government will be facing off in court that could have widespread involvement on cyber security and privacy.

In Southern California, the crucial hearing will take place before a federal judge based on the fight between the giant tech company and federal investigators whom they requested Apple to break in a locked iPhone belonging to the San Bernardino shooter.

A surveillance law expert at the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington Julian Sanchez said, "It's a fight over the future of high-tech surveillance, the trust infrastructure undergirding the global software ecosystem, and how far technology companies and software developers can be conscripted as unwilling suppliers of hacking tools for governments," and also saying, "It's also the public face of a conflict that will undoubtedly be continued in secret, and is likely already well underway."

Apple had been backed by a wide partnership with giant tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Yahoo, debates that the FBI is insisting to build a backdoor into all iPhones to infiltrate into the massacre of December 2 where 14 people died.

Moreover, its been claimed that the government is exceeding to take legal bounds under a regulation act that dates back to 1978 called the All Writs Act, to demand Apple to unlock the iPhone for further inquiry.

The company stated that in settling with the case, the court must take into consideration the broader context relating to a bigger argument over digital privacy.

The government took shots at Apple declaring that Apple is not above the law, and that they must assist to help break security measures that involves a single case, which is the iPhone 5c belonging to Syed Farook.

In a briefing to the court, justice department lawyers stated, "It is a narrow, targeted order. The government and the community need to know what is on the terrorist's phone, and the government needs Apple's assistance to find out,"

pre post  |  next post
More Sections