Apple vs the FBI, the saga continues
Are you still paranoid about governments around the world gaining access to your private information on your iPhone?
The FBI has been battling Apple to allow it access to the tech giant's devices, programatically through special back doors. Apple refuses on the grounds of privacy and it's principals of security.
In case you are wondering, this is all a result of the San Bernardino shooting in which the FBI acquired an iPhone that was password encrypted. The FBI has used this to justify their case.
So, can governments force companies to alter their products to allow their agencies to access private data? Certainly, in the shadow of a terrorist attack, it becomes a lot easier to sell to the American people, with the majority in favour of the FBI (albeit, a slim majority).
But the biggest problem with allowing the FBI access to devices, is that suddenly, there is potential access for people with nefarious intentions.
But the FBI has gone a step farther and purchased a hacking tool from a third party technology group that will unlock the phone for their investigations. This sounds pretty dangerous that the very thing Apple has been fighting the FBI on, is already in the FBI's hands. Sort of.
According to FBI director James Comey, it will only work a 'some' iPhones.
“The reason I keep saying 5C, iOS 9… this doesn’t work in sixes, doesn’t work in 5S and, so, we have a tool that works on a narrow slice of phones/ I can never be completely confident, but I’m pretty confident about that.” - FBI Director James Comey
So, now the litigation between Apple and the FBI is over, and the dust has settled, who really wins? And shouldn't what happens to our own private data be decided by us and not by the government and some large company?
It seems to be the sort of thing the democratic process is designed for, but for some reason is not being used.
