ACLU Comment on DOJ Effort to Force Apple to Unlock iPhones

January 13, 2020 6:15 pm

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WASHINGTON — Attorney General William Barr today demanded Apple unlock iPhones as part of the FBI’s investigation into the Pensacola shooting. Below is comment from ACLU Surveillance and Cybersecurity Counsel Jennifer Granick in response:

“Like four years ago, the government’s demand is dangerous and unconstitutional, and would weaken the security of millions of iPhones. Strong encryption enables religious minorities facing genocide, like the Uyghurs in China, and journalists investigating powerful drug cartels in Mexico, to communicate safely with each other, knowledgeable sources, and the outside world. There is simply no way for Apple, or any other company, to provide the FBI access to encrypted communications without also providing it to authoritarian foreign governments and weakening our defenses against criminals and hackers.”

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