Private companies turn over private information all the time with, naturally, various confidentiality agreements in place. If the government had a valid reason to gain that information, supported by a court order, the technology company and the energy company could either fight it or comply. What would be a valid need in that case? I have no idea - I can't conjure up the crime that might have been committed that would justify such access - but if such a crime were committed and the government, in the course of its investigation, needed such access, they would have a right to ask and the company would have a right to either comply or fight. In the end, I think the court would order compliance subject to various protections, especially in the case of terrorism where other laws also apply.XtremeJibber2001 wrote:Forcing a private company to backdoor it's own security and compromise it's integrity with it's customers is much different than a house warrant executed on John Doe. I'm pretty surprised you'd be okay with this. Would you be okay with the Gov't forcing a private sector technology company to provide the encryption key used by a private sector Energy company so they can access their industrial control systems?Bubba wrote:What liberty do you have to hide information from investigators after a crime as been committed and a search warrant has been issued? How is this different from having a search warrant to search the home of the terrorist after the fact? The FBI is only asking Apple for assistance in opening the door without blowing up the evidence inside. If Apple is concerned about the FBI using the key to open other doors, they can keep it themselves and or destroy the key once they open the door for the FBI in this case.Coydog wrote:Including the terrorists, who strive to deprive us of our liberties.Bubba wrote:A short story entitled "The Apple of My (FB) Eye"
Apple fights (wink, wink) the FBI, knowing that they will end up helping them anyway, whether by court order or voluntarily after the legal case has run its course. Apple wins the respect of its customers for fighting (wink, wink) the good fight, then provides the FBI with what it needs. FBI keeps the results of the investigation under wraps but ends up learning what, if anything, the cell phone can provide in the way of information. Everyone wins. We live happily ever after.
The End.
Personally, I think Apple is fighting right now in order to have the court develop a protocol in advance of them actually providing the assistance required.
I have no problem with the court issuing an order or with Apple fighting the order. In the end, Apple will probably lose but also gain legal protection along with protocols for use of the modified system.