Apple is fighting a court order issued Tuesday that demands the company “unlock” an encrypted iPhone owned by one of the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, California, in December. This sets up a long-anticipated showdown between the technology industry and law enforcement over whether the government should gain back-door access to encrypted consumer devices.
Apple is a leader in providing encryption on its popular devices; the newest versions of the company’s operating system encrypts data by default on products like iPads and iPhones, and also encrypts communications so that only the sender and receiver can see it.
Law enforcement has long held that this is a major stumbling block to investigations because it means criminals can “go dark,” but others argue that as a practical matter there are many other ways to track suspects. What’s more, creating back doors could aid repressive governments, spies, and criminals.
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