The FBI vs. Apple

http://theremnant.fm

Following the tragic San Bernardino shooting in California by Syed Rizwan Farook, Apple decided that they wanted his phone records and information to see where he and his wife traveled to after the shooting and who they were in contact with before the shooting. People began to feel unsafe because it was the government against a technology company that a large amount of the population heavily relies on them to protect their information. Privacy advocates are worried that this one event being tolerated would allow the government to have access to our personal information in a less crucial event, allowing them to gain access to anything they want and proving a threat to privacy.

Syed Rizwan Farook’s information that would’ve been extracted from Apple, according to the New York Times, would allow his GPS history and phone records to be released. This seems like an easy thing that wouldn’t pose much of a problem, however, according to The New York Times, it would require Apple to completely rewrite another software to get around the technological fact that after 10 incorrect passwords attempts, the phone would be wiped of all data information and the content that they wanted would disappear. Forcing the company to rewrite a system using manpower, time, and money and Apple has stated “that forcing it to write new software violates its First Amendment right” and therefore crossing the line.

It is the privacy advocates against national security. It seems like an easy choice to side with, however, that would be allowing the government to gain access to virtually anything they want based on the fact that it could be a potential national security threat. Where does the individual liberty that we are all promised go? All other tech companies based in Silicon Valley were in support of Apple because the FBI has many ways to gain sensitive information that doesn’t require people to feel as if their privacy is being invaded. They believe that allowing access to the FBI will create a new easy way out for the national security organizations to be constantly requesting any information they want. Apple standing up to protect themselves, their customers, and even other technological companies proves that the government has a lot more limitations than we think, but it is our job to protect ourselves and our civil liberties.