Apple vs FBI

Apple vs FBI is not breaking news within the immediate scope of reference but poses detrimental outcomes that could result if the Supreme Court were to grant the FBI their request while is not yet in full public attention. Therefore, I will be writing this article in hopes to attract and maintain focus on an issue whose outcome has the potential to destroy one of the last pillars of the American economy by simultaneously demolishing privacy and weakening national security all due to a tragic event now being utilized as an extortion point through mainstream fear-mongering.

December 2, 2015 gun shots erupt during an Inland Regional Center Christmas party, this shooting in San Bernardino is the second deadliest mass U.S shooting behind Sandy Hook, leaving 14 dead and 21 wounded. Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik were responsible for the carnage.  “Farook abruptly left the center before the shooting "under circumstances described as angry," said San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan.” Laptops containing significant evidence were destroyed before the husband and wife were killed in a shootout with police. The couple are believed to be tied to radical fundamentalists despite their legitimate status provided by working visas.  

The shooters IPhones were recovered but their personal data is secured by encryption software. The FBI then went to Apple with a search warrant requesting their help, which according to Apple CEO, Tim Cook they complied with until the FBI requested something that for everyone’s safety does not exist, an encryption cracking software that will provide the FBI and NSA a backdoor into IPhones. The really important thing to keep in mind is that this software doesn’t exist and the FBI as well as anyone else, cannot achieve access to secured data. Cyber security is the pillar of trust that allow Apple and other companies to thrive. The loss of that trust can not only result in the government violating people’s constitutional rights it can also result in the complete and total collapse of American Information Technology infrastructure.  

Fox news broadcast argue that the FBI only wants to use this hack on one phone, and in this case its to prevent terrorism. They also claim that the government can already do this so Apple should just comply, which is false because there asking Apple. Fox news anchors continually deviate from the actually issue that the government wants a fool proof software hacking program made by the company who created the security measures to begin with.

FBI Director commented “We simply want the chance, with a search warrant, to try to guess the terrorist’s pass-code without the phone essentially self-destructing and without it taking a decade to guess correctly. That’s it. We don’t want to break anyone’s encryption or set a master key loose on the land…. Maybe the phone holds the clue to finding more terrorists. Maybe it doesn’t. But we can’t look the survivors in the eye, or ourselves in the mirror, if we don’t follow this lead.” The creation of software that if fallen into the wrong hands, and in this case those hands are requesting it openly, can be utilized to spy on anyone at anytime without restriction. The FBI has proven to be technologically unsecured and has been hacked, I’m sure everyone remembers wiki leaks. If the encryption cracking software were to be stolen from the government or even worse sold off, as the government has a tendency to do to perpetuate its own agendas.

*cough* 

The DEA and their frequent potential to “misplace” cocaine and guns that end up recirculating back into the country in order to perpetuate and endless drug war and a thriving privatized and federal prison system.

*cough*    

“The San Bernardino litigation isn’t about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice. Fourteen people were slaughtered and many more had their lives and bodies ruined. We owe them a thorough and professional investigation under law. That’s what this is. The American people should expect nothing less from the FBI.” Says the FBI director but in the wake of many tragedies there always seems to be an agenda that over steps its boundaries, an example being the patriot act.

According to Tim Cook “The government could extend this breach of privacy and demand that Apple build surveillance software to intercept your messages, access your health records or financial data, track your location, or even access your phone’s microphone or camera without your knowledge.”   

Apple continues to oppose the governments request and have publicly expressed their willingness to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. Myself along with other Americans are proud of Tim Cook for taking a stand and defending Americans privacy and upholding the responsibility that is thought to be implicit with cyber giants like Apple. This story is far from over and is sure to appear again in the future “Breaking News” section.   

     

  

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                                                                    Sources

Napolitano, Judge Andrew P. "What's Really at Stake in the Apple vs. FBI Fight | Fox News." Fox News. FOX News Network, 25 Feb. 2016. Web. 01 Mar. 2016

Cook, Tim. "Customer Letter - Apple." Apple. N.p., 16 Feb. 2016. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.

FBI Director. "National Press Releases." FBI. FBI, 21 Feb. 2016. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

"San Bernardino Shooting Questions Raised about Tashfeen Malik Fiancee Visa." Http://www.cbsnews.com. Cos, 22 Dec. 2015. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.