“Apple Inc. appears to have the overwhelming backing of the public in fighting an judge’s order to break the security code on an iPhone, but the situation is still turning into an epic battle with the U.S. government, which may be using this instance as a way to gain more power for the future,” Therese Poletti writes for MarketWatch.
“A MarketWatch poll on Friday found readers overwhelmingly in favor of Chief Executive Tim Cook’s defiant move, with 63% of the first 6,000 respondents siding with Apple by Friday afternoon. The press appears to favor Apple even more, with Fortune reporting that newspaper editorials agreed with Apple by a ratio of 8 to 1,” Poletti writes. “Not surprisingly, Silicon Valley’s pro-privacy stance has many CEOs of major tech companies backing Cook… But even outside Silicon Valley, there is a huge amount of support for Apple to continue to fight the Justice Department.”
“The government was embarrassed by the 2013 revelations of illegal eavesdropping of domestic communications and communications records of millions of ordinary Americans. But that does not mean it will stop in its quest to use all of its powers to fight terrorists, even at the cost of personal privacy,” Poletti writes. “The Apple battle is one way the government hopes to gain more powers, with a more solid precedent for future fights with tech companies and suspects. Judging by early returns, the American people aren’t in agreement.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: That 37% of respondents in the MarketWatch poll don’t get it is appalling.
SEE ALSO:
Ex-NSA, ex-CIA chief Michael Hayden backs Apple on iPhone ‘backdoor’ – February 22, 2016
Apple’s new lawyer, former U.S. solicitor general under President George W. Bush, calls iPhone-unlock order a ‘Pandora’s Box’ – February 22, 2016
Apple posts open letter: ‘Answers to your questions about Apple and security’ – February 22, 2016
Apple vs. the U.S. government: Who elected Tim Cook? – February 21, 2016
Apple could easily lock rights-trampling governments out of future iPhones – February 20, 2016
Prediction: Apple will cave to U.S. government demand to crack open iPhone, Donald Trump will get the credit – February 20, 2016
Apple: Terrorist’s Apple ID password changed in government custody, blocking access – February 19, 2016
Petition asks Obama administration to stop demanding Apple create iPhone backdoor – February 19, 2016
Newspaper editorials back Apple over U.S. government 8 to 1 – February 19, 2016
Apple likely to invoke First Amendment free-speech rights in against U.S. government backdoor demands – February 19, 2016
Donald Trump calls for Apple boycott over San Bernardino terrorist iPhone encryption – February 19, 2016
Secret memo details U.S. government’s broader strategy to crack phones – February 19, 2016
DOJ escalates war against Apple, files new motion to compel company to break into iPhone – February 19, 2016
Apple is still fighting Big Brother – February 19, 2016
Apple co-founder Woz: Steve Jobs would have fought this U.S. government overreach, too – February 19, 2016
Mother who lost son in San Bernardino terrorist attack sides with Apple against U.S. government backdoor demands – February 19, 2016
iPhones don’t kill people, people kill people – February 19, 2016
Tim Cook posts open letter opposing U.S. government demands to bypass iPhone encryption – February 17, 2016