How much is the Silicon Valley business stance is affecting the government's investigation.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Silicon Valley tech companies have a conflict of interests. FBI blames the tech companies for their inefficiency to investigate for the terrorism activities. During the session with the Senate Intelligence Committee, James Comey, FBI director, brought up the case of San Bernardino shooting (2015) as an example to persist how the tech companies noncooperation has deterred the organization’s investigations against the criminal activities. Reportedly, the attacker’s phone wasn’t able to be unlocked by the organization’s personnel because of the high encryption level. In spite of all the allegations and blaming the tech companies have had a firm stance that they will not bring the encryption down.
The FBI has debated about its opinion regarding the hindrance encrypted phones create during the process of investigation. Numerous evidences have been converged at the same point and highlighted that the terrorists rely on encrypted devices so that they can carry on with their “work” without being caught on radar. Recently, a propaganda spurted out which claimed that through Telegram –Russian messaging app –many criminals were being aided.
Some of Apple Inc.’s apps including iMessenge and FaceTime have been used by the terrorists for unlawful activities for instance to converse with each other without being identified. The tech titan provides high level of encryption for these applications and at times even the company cannot unlock the phones.
This is something unacceptable for James Comey who has expressed that the law enforcing agencies ought to look into the matter which is reportedly referred to as “Going Dark” by him. The term “Going Dark” is often explained as the inconvenience caused to the personnel who are responsible to keep the citizens safe and sound when they couldn’t access the evidence they need to prosecute crime or even prevent terrorism. An FBI personnel has said: “We have the legal authority to interpret and access communications and information pursuant to court order, but we often lack the technical ability to do so.”
Although Comey didn’t name any particular tech company whose encryption policies are “immoderate.” However, it is an open secret that FBI has often been irritated by the Silicon Valley strong opinion against the requests of law enforcement agencies. Interestingly, a research report by Harvard University’s The Berkman Center for Internet & Society stated that the FBI accusations of the encryption being a hindrance have been exaggerated. The report claims that the agency’s surveillance cannot possibly be barred by an encryption on the phones.
The report also clarified that how Apple’s iCloud servers are not encrypted, whatsoever. The organization has the key to iCloud backups and the data –even though is protected –is not encrypted. Further, in the situation where court gives the order to the company to provide the data is obliged to do so. Additionally, the report pointed out that there is no encryption in many web-based services like instant messages, social networking, and webmail.
“Going Dark” debate can go on and on. Where the government frets over not losing the authority to access the users’ data companies are concerned to protect any leakage from the hackers and skies. The only way that could come out of this is a balanced way where no party is aggrieved.
As at the market which closed on Wednesday, Apple Inc. stock price stood at $94.27.
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