Apple Loves Playing Tricky Games
Apple loves playing tricky games with its devices and “the way they do things.” So let’s look at the following situation: the Department of Justice is currently trying to convince Apple to unlock an iPhone that belongs to a defendant in a case. Apple declared that it can do it, with easy, but has refused to it because of “reasons”. What do you do in a situation like this one?
The Department of Justice has a plan to solve the matter and it involves forcing Apple to unlock the phone. Why? Because they own the phone’s software. They already know that Apple can unlock that phone, but they need a precise way to talk Apple into it. Without the appropriate jurisdiction and pressure, Apple can casually choose to step aside and not involve itself in the investigation.
But the bigger picture might be what is forcing Apple to step back. It would not look ok if one of the best-selling gadget companies in the world would show you that they can get into your phone whenever they want, right? We are already not satisfied with the fact that terms and conditions force us to be ok with Apple and other countries in the world profiling us as users and then selling our info.
At the same time, we are talking about a case that involves the Department of Justice here. This is a case that needs to be solved and Apple cannot indirectly get in the way of the law, because that would be illegal, right? So there needs to be some sort of failsafe that Apple can use to unlock that phone and there needs to be some way in which the Department of Justice can pressure them to do so.
For now, Apple’s claim remains strong. The company has stated that forcing Apple to extract data in this case, absent clear legal authority to do so, could threaten the trust between Apple and its customers and substantially tarnish the Apple brand.” There are also some technical features that might render the phone useless anyway, mostly because it is running iOS 7.
While Apple loves playing tricky games, they are right at the same time, so it falls to the Department of Justice to seek out a way in which they can make Apple open that phone. It is a double edged situation and it appears that only time will tell if this case is going to be solved or not. It really looks like the law is protecting Apple in this one.
Photo Credits wikimedia.org
