New Apple, Google phones ‘too secure’, could put users beyond the law

FBI director James Comey expressed concern that Apple and Google are making phones that cannot be searched by the government. Both companies have made recent announcements emphasising their new products will make it more difficult for law enforcement to extract customers’ valued data. Comey said he’s been in talks with the companies “to understand what they’re thinking and why they think it makes sense.” But Comey’s remarks raise questions of what, exactly, the U.S. government wants.

It’s like saying you have to leave your door open in case we have an exigent circumstance and we need to search your house without a warrant.

Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty and National Security Program

Apple rolled out its new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and Apple Watch, restating its pledge to keep consumers’ data secure. For example, a feature in its new iOS 8 mobile-operating system encrypts phone data if the user sets a passcode, making the phone unreadable to anyone except the user. Similarly, Google said the next version of its Android mobile-operating system would prevent law enforcement from accessing customers’ private data. Some critics in law enforcement argue that private companies shouldn’t decide what layers of privacy individuals should receive.

There will come a day when it will matter a great deal to the lives of people that we will be able to gain access to such devices…I want to have that conversation with companies responsible before that day comes.

James Comey, FBI director

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