Apple CEO Tim Cook has given a rare television interview to explain why Apple won’t comply with FBI demands to create an encryption-free backdoor for the iPhone.
Appearing on ABC World News, Cook has presented Apple’s case in the privacy versus security debate, which has split America over the course of the last two weeks.
Apple’s refusal to offer the Feds access to a single password-protected iPhone 5C owned by a perpetrator of the San Bernardino shootings has given way to the issue of the authorities seeking access to all Apple handsets.
“This is not something that we would create. This would be bad for America,” Cook said of the purported backdoor.
“It would also set a precedent that I believe many people in America would be offended by.”
“The tradeoff here is, we know doing this could expose people to incredible vulnerabilities,” Cook added.
See also: Apple vs the FBI: Your questions answered
During the interview, which will air in the United States on Wednesday evening, Cook said Apple had no contact with the FBI before the story broke.
“This filing, we found out about the filing from the press,” Cook added.
“And I don’t think that’s the way the railroad should be run. And I don’t think something so important to this country should be handled in this way.”
ABC has promised to air the full interview on its website after it airs on US TV. If there are other significant quotes, we’ll bring them to you.
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Do you think that iPhones should have a backdoor? 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.