They are going straight into "think of the children mode" " Smartphone communication is “going to be the preferred method of the pedophile and the criminal. We are going to lose a lot of investigative opportunities." Apparently "what about the terrorists?" isn't as effective anymore. Let's hope the public will see through their manipulative talking points.
"They" in this case is the chief of a metro police department, whose forensic and surveillance resources are more often spent on pedophiles and drug dealers than terrorism. What else would they say?
If the article's authors wanted a "what about the terrorists?" quote they would have gone to a counter-terrorism official, just like they rang someone at the DEA for a "but drug organizations!" quote.
You're reading a paint-by-numbers article about government impotence and corporate supremacy like it's finely crafted pro-government propaganda.
Let's hope the public will see through their manipulative talking points.
You (and most HN commenters) didn't. Why should they? e.g.:
a) "Beyond lobbying the companies, there is little law enforcement can do without congressional action."
b) "A half-dozen police and federal officials interviewed said that Apple, in particular, was taking an aggressive posture on the issue."
When you take away the outrage-kindling, the gist of the article is that the stodgy old Washington government is incompetent and hip California tech companies are glorious. Not exactly a controversial opinion among the commentariat.