A total of 16 Silicon Valley tech companies have filed a brief in support of Apple in its fight with the FBI over data encryption.
The likes of Twitter, eBay, Kickstarter, LinkedIn, Square and Airbnb have banded together in the battle over whether the US government should have backdoor access to the iOS operating system.
“The government’s demand here, at its core, is unbound by any legal limits,” the companies write.
“It would set a dangerous precedent, in which the government could sidestep established legal procedures authorized by thorough, nuanced statutes to obtain users’ data in ways not contemplated by lawmakers.”
See also: Apple vs FBI: Your questions answered
The firms, which also include the likes of Github, Reddit, Twilio and Mapbox, claim the government is attempting to by-pass a Congressional debate in order to secure access to an iPhone recovered from the perpetrator of the San Bernardino terror attack in California.
In the filing, the companies wrote (via Recode): “By circumventing the procedures adopted by Congress, and thereby overturning the careful weighing of policy considerations they reflect, the government is seeking to enlist the judiciary in re-writing laws without engaging in an essential public debate.”
Also backing Apple, albeit indirectly, is its old foe Samsung.
According to Bloomberg, the company has released a statement echoing in the need for encryption in order to ensure consumer trust.
“Ensuring trust in our products and services is our top priority. Our phones are embedded with encryption that protects privacy and content, and they do not have backdoors. When required to do so, and within the law, we work with law enforcement agencies. However, any requirement to create a backdoor could undermine consumers’ trust.”
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However, the fight against the FBI isn’t unanimous. Just today, Amazon removed support for encryption within the Fire OS that powers its Fire tablets and TV products.
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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.
