iPhone vs. Trump: How Technology Companies Can Protect Both Customers and National Security

Reuters
January 19, 2020 Topic: Security Region: Americas Tags: TechnologyAppleNational SecurityGovernmentTerrorism

iPhone vs. Trump: How Technology Companies Can Protect Both Customers and National Security

These very powerful encryptions leave the government in the dark. But perhaps there is a solution that appeases cellphone customers with privacy concerns while ensuring that criminals cannot conceal their conspiracies.

Most importantly, one must agree with Vance, who stated that one must weigh “the risk of maintaining the ability to open a phone by the company…versus…the consequence to law enforcement of not being able to access those phones.” On one side is providing terrorists, drug lords, and human traffickers with completely secure means of communication; on the other side is the risk that Apple and other tech companies will be unable to secure a key, located in their own vaults, and thus encryption systems may require a new patch to further protect privacy. It seems to be a rather easy case to judge. 

Amitai Etzioni is a University Professor and professor of international affairs at The George Washington University. Click here to watch a recent, four-minute video called “Political and Social Life after Trump.” His latest book, Reclaiming Patriotism, was published by the University of Virginia Press in 2019 and is available for download without charge.

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