“A wave of prominent technology companies and individuals began formally backing Apple on Thursday in a high-profile legal case that will test the limits of law enforcement’s access to personal data,” Nick Wingfield reports for The New York Times.
“A group of 17 Internet companies, including Twitter, eBay, Airbnb and LinkedIn, submitted a joint court brief supporting Apple in the case in which the United States government is seeking Apple’s help to break into an iPhone used by a gunman in a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, Calif., last year,” Wingfield reports. “Separately, AT&T also filed a brief backing Apple.”
“In all, around 40 companies and organizations, including Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, Snapchat and Dropbox, are expected to jointly submit court briefs later on Thursday,” Wingfield reports. “More than 40 people, including prominent security experts and academics, are also planning to sign on to briefs. Apple’s allies are set to submit about a dozen briefs this week. The briefs address different facets of the case, focusing on free speech implications, the importance of encryption and concerns about government overreach, among other themes.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Looks like the government’s transparent and despicable attempt to “never let a serious crisis go to waste,” has stirred up a hornet’s nest of righteous opposition.
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. – Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
SEE ALSO:
Husband of San Bernardino terrorism victim backs Apple vs. U.S. government overreach – March 3, 2016
Over 40 companies to back Apple vs. U.S. government overreach; beleaguered Samsung still thinking about it – March 3, 2016
Apple posts amicus briefs in support of Apple vs. U.S. government overreach – March 3, 2016
U.S. Defense Secretary says strong encryption essential to national security, not a believer in back doors – March 3, 2016
Apple digs in for long fight against U.S. government overreach: ‘There is no middle ground’ – March 3, 2016
ACLU, other privacy groups urge U.S. judge to support Apple vs. U.S. government in iPhone case – March 2, 2016
Apple scored the knockout punch against FBI in House Judiciary Committee hearing – March 2, 2016
Within an hour of Malaysia Flight 370 disappearing, Apple was working with officials to locate it – March 2, 2016
John McAfee reveals how the FBI can unlock an iPhone in 30 minutes – March 2, 2016
Can the FBI force a company to break into its own products? No, says U.S. Magistrate – March 2, 2016
Apple CEO Cook decried Obama’s ‘lack of leadership’ on encryption during a closed-door meeting last month – February 29, 2016
Obama administration set to expand sharing of data that N.S.A. intercepts – February 28, 2016
Apple’s fight with U.S. could speed development of devices impervious to government intrusion – February 24, 2016
Petition asks Obama administration to stop demanding Apple create iPhone backdoor – February 19, 2016
Obama administration claims FBI is not asking Apple for a ‘backdoor’ to the iPhone – February 18, 2016
Obama administration wants access to smartphones – December 15, 2015
Obama administration war against Apple just got uglier – July 31, 2015
Obama’s secret attempt to ban cellphone unlocking, while claiming to support it – November 19, 2013
Oh MDN, you bad! I love it!!
Please fellow Americans, contact for House representative and Senator. Tell them to stop the Executive Branch in its quest to stomp on the Bill of Rights. Also contact Clinton and Trump and let them know how you feel.
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2016/03/03Amicus-Briefs-in-Support-of-Apple.html#labnol
What Apple should instead is develop a human mind reader and give that to the FBI.😌
It would work far better than the current lie detectors.
At regular intervals people could go in for mind read.
It would uncover any terrorist proclivities and past crimes.
Shades of 1984, eh, Winston?😉
At regular intervals elected officials and their appointees will go in for mind reading sessions, before the public.
most people against Apple I suspect don’t really understand the long term implications of the case.
I reiterate what’s been put out:
1) it’s NOT limited to one phone as there are many phones by the DOJ, FBI, various other courts waiting to be hacked. As Tim cook pointed out a judge might think a Divorce case might be important enough (in the N.Y case where the judge sided with Apple the criminal had already pleaded guilty but the police still wanted the phone hacked)
2) once the Hacker OS is created there is nothing to stop another judge or foreign country from demanding it.
3) in future cases DEFENSE lawyers might demand to see the details of how the phone was cracked
with all these cases the tool WILL leak and get into hands of Criminal Hackers . So family info, bank accounts, passkeys etc are all vulnerable
and this case sets a precedent where the security forces are granted brand new powers to compel corporations and people (who have nothing to do with crime etc) to build stuff on their behalf.
not to mention this seems to be a test case for certain groups like the FBI to eventually push for backdoors for everything which will jeopardize the tech landscape everywhere.
so this is not just Apple’s fight for ‘privacy’ against government (important as that is) but much bigger.
(it seems to us MDN readers that what I said is obvious but reading other general news forums and hearing presidential candidates speak I think lots of people still don’t get it .. )
Have anyone seen the movie “Enemy of the State” starring Will Smith and Jon Voight? Great movie about inappropriate surveillance.
Just saw it a few nights ago. Loved Gene hackman’s character. It is a good movie.
I’m with Tim.