# Should Apple help the government hack into encrypted devices?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-apple-help-the-government-hack-into-encrypted-devices/746333>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 17, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-apple-help-the-government-hack-into-encrypted-devices/746333 "2016-02-17T13:20:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 34

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![txst16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@txst16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txst16)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-apple-help-the-government-hack-into-encrypted-devices/746333/661 "2016-04-01T15:18:41Z")

</div>

i did not read, but the headline. students pay a great deal of money to go to school. there are MANY programs and degrees specializing in things of this nature. this topic is moot because of obvious reasons.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-apple-help-the-government-hack-into-encrypted-devices/746333/662 "2016-04-18T22:16:34Z")

</div>

Update:

1. Two senators introduce [a ludicrous, dangerous, and technically illiterate proposal](http://www.wired.com/2016/04/senates-draft-encryption-bill-privacy-nightmare/) that is fortunately [unlikely to go anywhere](http://www.fastcompany.com/3058952/the-burr-feinstein-encryption-bill-is-probably-doa).

2. An attempt by the Manhattan DA to gin up some astroturfed social-media support [crashed and burned within hours](http://motherboard.vice.com/read/nypd-manhattan-prosecutor-unlockjustice-anti-encryption-social-media-campaign-backfires), helped by the fact that he didn’t even bother to check his hashtag selection and chose one already in use by a mass-incarceration reform organization. :smack: :smack:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-apple-help-the-government-hack-into-encrypted-devices/746333/663 "2019-10-28T18:54:59Z")

</div>

One of the lawyers who argued the government’s case for this issue has reconsidered his position  
[https://www.lawfareblog.com/rethinking-encryption](https://www.lawfareblog.com/rethinking-encryption)

> [@](#):
>
> Public safety officials should continue to highlight instances where they find that encryption hinders their ability to effectively and efficiently protect society so that the public and lawmakers understand the trade-offs they are allowing. To do this, the Justice Department should, for example, file an annual public report describing, as best it can, the continuing nature and scope of the going dark problem. If necessary, it can also file a classified annual report with the appropriate congressional committees.  
> \*\*  
> But, for the reasons discussed above, public safety officials should also become among the strongest supporters of widely available strong encryption.\*\*
> 
> I know full well that this approach will be a bitter pill for some in law enforcement and other public safety fields to swallow, and many people will reject it outright. It may make some of my former colleagues angry at me. I expect that some will say that I’m simply joining others who have left the government and switched sides on encryption to curry favor with the tech sector in order to get a job. That is wrong.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-apple-help-the-government-hack-into-encrypted-devices/746333/664 "2019-10-30T07:53:09Z")

</div>

> [@Andy\_L](#):
>
> One of the lawyers who argued the government’s case for this issue has reconsidered his position  
> [Rethinking Encryption | Lawfare](https://www.lawfareblog.com/rethinking-encryption)

"That is wrong. And even a quick perusal of my resume at [job-monsters.com](http://job-monsters.com) will show you that.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-apple-help-the-government-hack-into-encrypted-devices/746333.md?page=33)