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Apple says US Founding Fathers would be appalled by FBI

Apple has stepped up its language in the ongoing encryption battle with the FBI and the US Department of Justice.

The two parties are locked into a bitter dispute over iPhone encryption, with the FBI and Department of Justice wanting to force Apple to provide back door entry to iOS. Apple, of course, is none too pleased.

The iPhone maker just filed a response to the FBI’s request in the Central California district court. It doesn’t mince its words.

Apple (via 9to5Mac) calls the government’s standpoint “deeply offensive,” and claims that “The Founders would be appalled”, in reference to the esteemed Founding Fathers of the United States.

In relation to the government’s attempt to use the hundreds-of-years-old All Writs Act to justify its stance, Apple claims that it is an attempt “to rewrite history,” and that the government wants to use a fairly vague law as “an all-powerful magic wand”.

Related: Apple vs FBI: Your questions answered

Recent weeks have seen pretty much all of Apple’s key executive team step up and have their say about the case, through various op-eds, statements, and interviews.

Just last week, Eddy Cue postulated that a government win on this case could eventually lead to orders to remotely activate an iPhone’s camera or microphone.

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It seems unlikely that the tone of the language is going to get any less dramatic from here on in – from either side.

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