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Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

nytimes.com

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Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#11

Post by pdkl95 »

georgespencer wrote: post #2

I'm not really surprised that other companies aren't coming out of the woodwork to make themselves targets. It's clear that in the main they will hold similarly strong views to Apple, but any PR worth their salt will not want the CEO of a company not implicated in something as politically charged as this to enter into the discussion. For those who oppose this kind of behaviour by the US Government, it's a relief that…

> It's clear that in the main they will hold similarly strong views to Apple

That's not clear at all. It's hard to find neutral ground in political problems like this. Staying quiet to avoid implication isn't a neutral position. Evil triumphs when good men choose to step aside instead of helping their neighbor.

Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#12

Post by [deleted] »

zoul wrote: post #7
gtrubetskoy wrote: post #3

What sets Apple apart from Googles and Facebooks is that it's the only company that stores the data in way that Apple itself cannot read it. This is why the others have little to say on the subject - there is no issue of a "backdoor", because there is no wall to begin with when it comes to Google or FB, their business model depends on reading and analyzing your emails and posts.

Don’t the modern Android phones with Trusted Execution Environment do about the same?

[deleted]

Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#13

Post by vinceguidry »

AndrewUnmuted wrote: post #8
musha68k wrote: post #5

Even with all the recent "featuritis" on the software side the unchanged simplicity of Apple's business model makes me totally fall in love with them again. Tim Cook is the only one doing the right thing here.

> Tim Cook is the only one doing the right thing here. Because it was Tim Cook who was dragged into this mess. What if the shooter had an Android phone, rather than an iPhone? I'm sure Lary Page would be penning a similar letter, in that situation.

Hah, that's a laugh. If it were an Android phone, the feds wouldn't have had to call anyone. They'd have just broken the device's security and gotten what they wanted.

Only Apple takes security seriously.

Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#14

Post by sleeping_pills »

gtrubetskoy wrote: post #3

What sets Apple apart from Googles and Facebooks is that it's the only company that stores the data in way that Apple itself cannot read it. This is why the others have little to say on the subject - there is no issue of a "backdoor", because there is no wall to begin with when it comes to Google or FB, their business model depends on reading and analyzing your emails and posts.

Probably because at Apple the consumer is not the product.

Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#15

Post by Outdoorsman »

I think it's interesting to note that Apple has complied with requests from law enforcement in the past...

Of the total number of requests, which Apple references here: http://www.apple.com/privacy/government-information-requests...

> 94% were Device Requests--law enforcement seeking a stolen device

> 6% were Account Requests--law enforcement seeking personal information

> 27% of U.S. account requests received between 7/1/14 and 6/30/15 resulted in disclosed content.

> Less than 0.00673% of customers have been affected by government information requests

Interesting stats...

Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#16

Post by unethical_ban »

georgespencer wrote: post #6
mediocrejoker wrote: post #4

Don't Twitter, Facebook, Amazon and Google all make most of their money by having access to their customers data? Of course they're not as supportive of privacy as Apple.

This isn't the same thing at all.

Yes, it is. Apple's fight with the US is based on the fact they facilitate the encryption of user data so that even Apple doesn't see content.

When the other titans don't have that feature, they have less of a stake in the argument at hand.

Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#18

Post by bnj »

georgespencer wrote: post #6
mediocrejoker wrote: post #4

Don't Twitter, Facebook, Amazon and Google all make most of their money by having access to their customers data? Of course they're not as supportive of privacy as Apple.

This isn't the same thing at all.

Would you expand on that? The feeling seems to be that these companies rely on access to user data in a way that Apple doesn't- that's true, isn't it?

Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#19

Post by wosos »

vinceguidry wrote: post #13
AndrewUnmuted wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Tim Cook is the only one doing the right thing here. Because it was Tim Cook who was dragged into this mess. What if the shooter had an Android phone, rather than an iPhone? I'm sure Lary Page would be penning a similar letter, in that situation.

Hah, that's a laugh. If it were an Android phone, the feds wouldn't have had to call anyone. They'd have just broken the device's security and gotten what they wanted. Only Apple takes security seriously .

Sad but true

Re: Apple Letter on iPhone Security Draws Muted Tech Industry Response

#20

Post by 0xffff2 »

Outdoorsman wrote: post #15

I think it's interesting to note that Apple has complied with requests from law enforcement in the past... Of the total number of requests, which Apple references here: http://www.apple.com/privacy/government-information-requests... > 94% were Device Requests--law enforcement seeking a stolen device > 6% were Account Requests--law enforcement seeking personal information > 27% of U.S. account requests received betwee…

>I think it's interesting to note that Apple has complied with requests from law enforcement in the past...

It's also very important to note that preview law enforcement requests are not in the same scope as the FBI's request published yesterday. All of the information disclosed above is data held by Apple. The new request is for Apple to commit development resources to produce brand new software, not just turn over data.

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