FBI Thinks Apple and Google Have "Gone too Far" for Protecting User Privacy

Technology companies, especially the bigger lions like Apple and Google, take been successfully pushed by consumers and activists to consider user privacy and security as a crucial point of their operating systems. Both iOS and Android now carry improved encryption techniques that not only protect the end user from theft and targeted incidents but also from the unnecessary poking of government security agencies like NSA, FBI, GCHQ, and the lot. Of course nosotros celebrated the security of iOS and did the same when Android L was appear this week featuring default encryption and increased protection policies with piece of cake remote reset options. This doesn't bode well with the above and many more such security agencies and authorities states world over. security privacy encryption

This bitter pill that companies have started taking users more than heavily than the authoritative agencies isn't being gulped down then hands. According to the New York Times report, F.B.I. managing director has hinted that the Obama administration will take regulatory action against Google and Apple over making changes to their respective mobile operating systems equally these changes will make information technology more difficult for law enforcement to search the contents 'without the consent of the owner'. Yeah, they don't like talking to the states minion humans for consent and are fond of doing the chore right abroad without themiddle manwho unfortunately happens to own the device.

The director of the F.B.I., James B. Comey, said on Thursday that the "post-Snowden pendulum" that has driven Apple and Google to offering fully encrypted cellphones had "gone besides far." He hinted that equally a effect, the administration might seek regulations and laws forcing companies to create a way for the authorities to unlock the photos, emails and contacts stored on the phones.

LEAs detest encryption!

The "gone also far" from the managing director possibly comes at a right fourth dimension as a lot of push button was exerted on the technology leaders by consumers after the Snowden ongoing streak of leaks revealing the very agonizing extent to which agencies are involved in tracking down and recording personal data of perhaps every man. From 2022 onward, there have been modest successes in this regard as companies were first asked to publicize how many requests different governments made to them for showing records of any certain user. With the latest improved encryption, Apple and Google have tried to stay out of this equation by giving the handle of security and encryption right in the hand of the user. This substantially means that the companies will accept no more than authorization over user content and will non be able to comply with police force enforcement agencies in their requests of unlocking a device. No matter however appreciated, this is no philanthropy from the companies though every bit take proven in the past. A constant push from the users and a possibility of having users leave the insecure platforms for the emerging, less popular but more secure options was a threat enough to make this button work.

"Just equally people won't put their money in a bank they won't trust, people won't use an Net they won't trust," Brad Smith, the general counsel for Microsoft, said recently.

LEAs are giving that same old rhetoric of "national security" - the buzzword used world over now for justifying whatever attacks and intrusion on personal or public lives. However, consumers accept really appreciated the movement by Apple and Google as they aren't doing this to safeguard terrorists, equally the agencies try to showcase. The efforts accept been done to give the fundamental of personal data and privacy right in the hands of the user and very rightly so. Wonder if they would too want to give our house keys in the easily of some companies too? At that place is no justification of governments trying to bear mass surveillance going confronting fundamental rights. If there are any targeted people, warrants may well be procured before going after the data. But no, too much hassle for the masters.

Source: NYT Report