After finding a way to crack Apple’s iPhone without Cupertino’s help, the FBI now intends to share the love with the rest of the boys in blue.
The Bureau intends to help local law-enforcement agencies that are struggling to get into smartphones, a move that could set a worrying precedent.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the FBI has written to local authorities, affirming assistance is at hand.
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“Please know that we will continue to do everything we can to help you consistent with our legal and policy constraints.”
The letter came after law-enforcement officials on local and state levels turned to the FBI for help in their own cases where locked iPhones are causing problems.
FBI officials acknowledged that locked phones are “a substantial state and local law-enforcement challenge that you face daily.”
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It all comes following a stand off between Apple and the FBI that threatened to shape privacy policy in the United States.
The FBI had demanded access to an iPhone 5c recovered from one of the San Bernardino shooters. Apple had steadfastly refused to co-operate with the court order.
The battle was set for the courts until a third-party approached the FBI with a method to by-pass the passcode.
It’s now this method that could shape how easy it is for police, or anyone else for that matter, to access private information on a smartphone.
All-in-all, it’s concerning times for all law-abiding smartphone owners, let alone those whose activities merit intrusion.
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Are you worried about the law-enforcement monitoring? Let us know in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.