Blog #4: Phone Security

Introduction
In the previous months, news have been circulating about the FBI requesting Apple to unlock the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone to reveal information about any other terrorist attacks. However, Apple cannot do that for it goes against their privacy policy. It would have been fine if they had access to one phone but unlocking an iPhone is similar to finding a key to unlock every iPhone. This news has caused many debates among the internet of whether or not Apple should help.

"Apple should help the FBI."
Those who believe Apple should help the FBI unlock the phone believe it should be an easy task for Apple for they created it. Even professionals who are well-versed in the information security concepts believe so, too. According to Dr. Thomas Austin, a SJSU assistant professor, believe that the FBI's request is reasonable but the major concern is that anyone can have access to it. With his analogy that if there was a house key under the mat, how would you know who would have access to it?

"Apple should not help the FBI."
There are those who believe Apple should not help the FBI because it is not simply that easy to unlock it. According to Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, unlocking the shooter's phone is the "equivalent to creating cancer." By helping the FBI, this is a slippery slope to endangering public safety and privacy. If Steve Jobs was alive, he would have done the same. Apple would have most definitely helped if the FBI had contacted Apple earlier on the case, where they are able to access the iPhone's iCloud to retrieve information, and all these troubles would have been avoided.

I think...
The government should not have access to every citizen's privacy even if it is for our potential safety. The idea of the government authority accessing anyone's information does not give citizens freedom and private space to express themselves. It is a violation and causes discomfort for everyone to be able to express individuality when knowing that the government will always have eyes somewhere watching us. So, I do not think Apple should help the FBI, and anyone working for Apple who thinks their company should help may want to consider applying here: applerejects.com. Eventually, the court order is for Apple to help the FBI but the FBI was later able to unlock from the help of a third party, not Apple. If I had not known this information, I would still stand with Apple's choice.

Work Cited
1. ABCNews. "Tim Cook Says IPhone-Cracking Solution Is 'Software Equivalent of Cancer'" YouTube. YouTube, 25 Feb. 2016. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.
2. "FBI Has Accessed San Bernardino Shooter's Phone without Apple's Help."Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.
3."Judge Orders Apple to Unlock San Bernardino Killer's Phone." NBC Bay Area. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.