Tech rivals and civil rights groups join Apple’s legal fight against the FBI

Tech industry groups, privacy advocates and computer security experts filed briefs with a California court on Thursday asking it to dismiss the FBI order that would force Apple to help unlock the phone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters. Support came from a wide range of individuals, including a United Nations human rights official and Salihin Kondoker, the husband of a surviving victim of the December shooting. Three tech associations that represent Apple’s main business rivals — including Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Yahoo — also provided their support.

If the government arguments prevail, the Internet ecosystem will be weakened, leaving Internet users more vulnerable to hackers and other bad actors.

Statement from the Computer and Communications Industry Association, which announced a joint amicus brief with the Internet Association and the i2 Coalition of Internet infrastructure firms

The “friend of the court” submissions are the latest development in a saga that pits Apple against the FBI over the bureau’s attempts to unlock a San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone. Most prominent among Apple’s support was a joint filing from 16 Silicon Valley giants, including Twitter, eBay, Airbnb, LinkedIn, Medium, Kickstarter and Reddit. The FBI’s position has drawn support from law enforcement leaders, sharp scrutiny from Congress and outrage from privacy activists.

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