The leaders of large companies rarely ally themselves with the little people, but Apple CEO Tim Cook has done that in a battle with the U.S. federal government.
He should stand firm because the implications are frightening for people around the world.
The government wants Apple to write software that would allow the FBI to hack the password of an iPhone 鈥� any iPhone. The feds are only interested in one notorious phone, but the code they want would apply far beyond that device.
The phone in question belongs to one of the two shooters who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, last year. The agents think it has valuable information, possibly on co-conspirators. However, if they try more than 10 incorrect passwords, the phone will erase all its files.
The government wants Apple to write code that will disable the erase function, so agents can throw millions of passwords at the phone until they find the right one.
Cook has refused, even though a magistrate judge ruled in favour of the government. His company intentionally did not write such code, because it wanted to ensure users鈥� privacy.
It is obviously in Apple鈥檚 interest as well as Cook鈥檚 customers鈥�. If iPhones were known to be vulnerable, sales would suffer.
The government says it has no ulterior motives and only wants to get into one phone. But Cook says a back door would be available to anyone 鈥� democratic governments, authoritarian governments, criminals, hackers.
Once the precedent is set, iPhone users would be only the first victims. If Apple yields, BlackBerry and Android phones would not be far behind.
Government assurances, even if well-intentioned, are unpersuasive. Almost every human invention has been put to evil uses, regardless of its original purpose.
Defending our privacy against the encroachment of governments, companies and criminals is hard enough. We don鈥檛 want Apple handing them the key on a platter.
