When the FBI obtained an iPhone once owned by deceased San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook, it turned to the smart phone’s manufacturer, Apple, to gain access to the locked device. Following the FBI’s request, California judge Sheri Pym ordered Apple to create new software that would allow the FBI to repeatedly guess Farook’s passcode without fear of triggering an auto-deletion security measure Farook could have used to secure his iPhone.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is fighting the FBI’s request and says Apple will appeal Pym's court order. Cook says creating the requested software, even for a single iPhone, could compromise consumers' privacy and the security of all iPhones. The New York Times editorial board backed Cook’s decision on Thursday. Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak said the late Steve Jobs would have made the same call. Other observers did not support Cook, and accused Apple of hypocrisy and interfering with national security.
What’s your call?
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