Now we know why Google’s Sundar Pichai stands by Apple CEO Tim Cook on the topic of mobile security. Last month has been more controversial for Apple and despite being close rivals, the CEO of Google showed his support by sharing his sentiments. Pichai shared his opinion on the issue of FBI asking the Cupertino company to make something that would circumvent the smartphone security of a device that could help in a criminal investigation.
Apple didn’t oblige to the request because it might create a backdoor and open more possibilities of being compromised. It could be dangerous and enabling it would threaten the security and privacy of the customers. Not giving in to the FBI was deemed a good call because if Apple did, it would set a precedent. Other tech companies may be told to do the same and that’s not what the mobile industry want.
Apparently, Apple wasn’t the only one asked to do a similar thing. Google has been ordered many times already to help federal agents gain access to mobile devices part of an investigation. This information is based on court records that tell us the Apple-FBI controversy wasn’t the first. There are 63 cases at the American Civil Liberties Union–all about companies getting a court order under a 1789 law known as ‘All Writs Act’. This means a government agency requesting a group to help access a phone is actually old news and it wasn’t the first time Apple was asked. It’s just that Apple said ‘no’.
Google shared that they’ve also been asked to help pull data off locked smartphones but have not been given an ‘All Writs Act order’ like the one Apple received. If they’d receive such, they would “strongly object to such an order” says a Google spokesman. Google was usually asked to bypass a password so the government could access a device.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department said that it’s already a common practice. It’s one part of law enforcement but others are saying that the agency is already misusing an old law. Apple didn’t budge and so the government agency looked for a new solution which they said worked. Because of its success, the case against Apple was dropped.
There are many cases listed involving not just Apple but also Google. Investigations are mostly done by the FBI, Bureau of Land Management, DFA, Homeland Security Department, and Secret Service. We have no idea if and how Google and Apple complied to the requests but we learned a few things here: it’s okay to say “No”.
VIA: WSJ
