Apple Inc. in the midst of Constitutional dilemma: Uphold the law on national security or protect its customer's privacy right

Apple is in major dilemma.

Constitutional right of individual's privacy may be infringed after the court order laid down its verdict demanding Apple Inc. to unlock the encrypted iPhone of San Bernardino shooters.

Los Angeles federal judge ordered Apple to provide "reasonable technical assistance" to investigators seeking to read the data on an iPhone 5C that had been used by Rizwan Farook, who along with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people and wounded 22 others on Dec. 2, 2015 in San Bernardino, California.

The government stated that the order is a crucial test to the government on how they can enforce the protection of security and investigation of terrorism. Standing strong in their argument, the accused's iPhone is a crucial piece of evidence to protect the national security.

However, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, obeying the order would require the company to create a digital version of a "master key" for all iPhones, and that could expose millions of owners worldwide to dangerous intrusions.

Cook has chosen to stand for privacy and will oppose the order, as released in an open letter to customers.

He emphatically stated that to compromise the security of the personal information can ultimately put the personal safety at risk. This is also the reason behind the importance of encryption.

"For many years, we have used encryption to protect our customers' personal data because we believe it's the only way to keep their information safe. We have even put that data out of our own reach, because we believe the contents of your iPhone are none of our business," he added.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Department of Justice was suggested that this tool could be only be used once, on one phone.

But Cook rebutted that once it is created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices.

Civil liberties groups warn that forcing companies to crack their own encryption endangers the technical integrity of the Internet and threatens not just the privacy of customers, but potentially that of citizens of any country.

Most technology security experts, including many who have served in government opined that technical efforts to provide government access to encrypted devices inevitably degrades security for everyone since 1990s.

The right to privacy is a human right and an element of various legal traditions which may restrain both government and private party action that threatens the privacy of individuals. It is also Constitutional right which is inherent in every citizen of the country.

Tags

Apple, iPhone, federal judge, San Bernardino, Riwaan Farook, terrorist, Tim Cook, open letter, Josh Earnest, Freedom of Privacy, technology

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