Apple, known for its cut-throat business practices and superior attitude, is wrong on two fronts. First, it is actively obstructing justice and obstructing the investigation of a mass murder. Second, it's fundamental argument is the "slippery slope" argument. Even beginning debate students and those in Logic 101 know that the slippery slope argument is consider an invalid argument on its face.
This isn't a slippery slope argument, if apple makes this tool, all iphone 5 series phones will be vulnerable to it.
They aren't actively obstructing justice by not actively hacking their own devices (that's like saying that not chasing a purse snatcher is aiding and abetting); by what law can the FBI order a company to do free work for them?
First, it is actively obstructing justice and obstructing the investigation of a mass murder.
A court has the authority to issue a warrant for the contents of my safe. And while they can't force me to open it, they can, in fact, hire someone to do so.
What they do not have the authority to do is go to the company that produced the safe and REQUIRE them to create a device that lets the court open my safe after they find out that they can't do it by themselves.
That's judicial overreach by the court, and that's what Apple is protesting. The slippery-slope arguments are after the fact (though no less "real" because of it).
Though the government claims otherwise, everyone pretty much understands that the "We only want it once for this one phone. Honest!" claim by the FBI exists solely to set a precedent. Should Apple cave, the government will apply the same criteria to the next case. And the next. And the next.
As will the governments of China, India, Saudi Arabia, and everyplace else Apple sells iPhones. Terrorist? Murderer? Pedophile? Homosexual? Dissident? Member of an opposing political party? So sorry, but we need to search your phone.
Apple cannot take possession of the iPhone and crack it for the FBI. That would invalidate any evidence garnered during their possession of the device and make the contents of the device challengeable after they return it to the FBI.
How could Apple provide a new version of iOS to the FBI that would be loadable on the device without wiping its existing user-data?
Here's an interesting read on some more technical requirements with legal repercussions even if Apple could perform the task being asked of them.
Slippery slope fallacy is mainly invalid if the claim involves a significant number of steps/gradations. It is not necessarily fallacious if there is a reasonable expectation that the pattern will occur. As we see very often with law enforcement, they will fight for a new tool or technique and then utilize it as much as they are allowed. For example, USA Patriot act authorized certain investigative actions when a terrorist is involved, so we sudden;y saw law enforcement start labeling domestic drug dealers as terrorists. Need I mention the NSA?
I would say slippery slope is not a sufficient counter to the concerns of the greater tech community. You might also want to research the use of expert opinions when you start seeing the big tech giants and a huge portion of the tech community start weighing in on Apple's side.
Public opinion polls are generally worthless because of the way the results can be manipulated to the satisfaction of the pollster. Did you notice the gigantic caviat the writer used 2/3 of the way down the article if reference to 51% poll. Also, what is the margin of error? Is it really a fair claim to say the public is on the FBI's side when the poll is so close to 50%?
I'm surprised the US Government hasn't just added a manufacturer tax to devices that employ strong encryption, unless they provide a back-door to the FBI. That would be an incentive!
The public is uneducated and can't string more than a couple of phrases together:
This is of course what the rulers wanted:
and in the immortal words of Morpheus
"The system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it."
This is all YOUR family, YOUR boss the pizza delivery boy and ALL your friends!
The public is uneducated and can't string more than a couple of phrases together:
This is of course what the rulers wanted:
and in the immortal words of Morpheus
"The system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it."
This is all YOUR family, YOUR boss the pizza delivery boy and ALL your friends!
This is going to bite Apple. Tim Cook is a fool. By going to war in public with the US government, he has solidified the position of the Chinese and lost his main ally in that (ongoing) battle. When the Chinese, who do not care one with about public opinion in the US or China, block all sales of iPhones, how long before investors call for his head?
Just a bad strategic move, Apple care about privacy? While they collect and store everything they find about their users? Get real, people. The whole wipe scheme did not exist two years ago, and we somehow did just fine but if you don't want your secrets found, don't carry them in your pocket.
The FBI are leading you Americans on a dark path which will effect all humans on earth. Why did they get the company that owns the phone to change the passcode when it was in the FBI's hands, Why!!! Get the company to activate the phone. I believe the FBI has all the info they need and this is just a ploy along with your President to allow back doors into any device made by tech companies. Stick up for your amendment rights for Christ sakes, I agree wholeheartedly with Apple on this issue! Corruption by your finest is at the forefront here, they had all the info on your 9/11 events and did nothing about it, Wake Up people, it's all of our info at risk!!!
I wonder how all you Apple supporters would feel if it was your mother, father, sister, or brother that was innocently slaughtered. Tim Cook and all his other tech cronies only care about making billions more. How about being a law abiding citizen and you will have all the privacy you are entitled to under the constitution. The government doesnt give a hoot about you jerkoffs that think bigbrother is listening to all your conversations or monitoring your data. Be serious people. FBI CANNOT monitor individuals without court order. Once you break the law you shouldnt have rights. Apple and all the other tech companies have an obligation morally and ethically to help law enforcement get the data to prevent or gather information to keep us all safe. If Cook's wife was murdered in San Bernardino i wonder if he would feel the same way. Jail his ass until he complies.
Slippery slope fallacy is mainly invalid if the claim involves a significant number of steps/gradations. It is not necessarily fallacious if there is a reasonable expectation that the pattern will occur. As we see very often with law enforcement, they will fight for a new tool or technique and then utilize it as much as they are allowed. For example, USA Patriot act authorized certain investigative actions when a terrorist is involved, so we sudden;y saw law enforcement start labeling domestic drug dealers as terrorists. Need I mention the NSA?
I would say slippery slope is not a sufficient counter to the concerns of the greater tech community. You might also want to research the use of expert opinions when you start seeing the big tech giants and a huge portion of the tech community start weighing in on Apple's side.
Public opinion polls are generally worthless because of the way the results can be manipulated to the satisfaction of the pollster. Did you notice the gigantic caviat the writer used 2/3 of the way down the article if reference to 51% poll. Also, what is the margin of error? Is it really a fair claim to say the public is on the FBI's side when the poll is so close to 50%?
That poll is from last week. I'm seeing a huge swing to Apple's side after revelations of the FBI password change and the subsequent bumbling of purchasing but then not installing MDM software on the governement phones. Last week, new comments I was seeing were roughly 50/50.
The government's own bungling alone is proving Apple's case to the public at large. Comments today are closer to 80% in Apple's favor. The fact that Apple has been in there trying to help from the start, has destroyed the FBI's narrative of them being uncooperative/unpatriotic.
The last tactic they've got is an emotional plea using the families. Hard to swallow the idea of federal 'caring', considering how badly the FBI have handled the case from the start, and the government's poor ability to screen people on their own watch lists. If the government had focused more on the data they already had, this incident might have been totally or partially prevented.
Apple ... is actively obstructing justice and obstructing the investigation of a mass murder. Second, it's fundamental argument is the "slippery slope" argument. Even beginning debate students and those in Logic 101 know that the slippery slope argument is consider an invalid argument on its face.
Nope, Apple is not "obstructing justice [yadda yadda]..." Writing code is projected under freedom of speech, Universal City Studios v. Corley (2nd Cir. 2001), also a case in 1999 heard by a 3 judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which source code belonging to encryption software is indeed protected by free speech. But hey, just keep throwing around hyperboles like they're justified. 2) Apple's argument is certainly not committing a slippery slope fallacy, but nice try. If the evidence supports a reasonable conclusion then there is no fallacy. Slippery slope happens when the chain of logical implication (or quantifying the relevant probabilities) is not justified from step to step in the chain of propositions and conclusions. In the case of Apple's argumentation there is no claimed chain of unsupported events. What has been argued is that if the government compelled them to write code then there are real consequences as specified by Apple and other educated, unaffiliated parties. But hey, you did succeed in creating a red herring fallacy. Good work!
I wonder how all you Apple supporters would feel if it was your mother, father, sister, or brother that was innocently slaughtered. Tim Cook and all his other tech cronies only care about making billions more. How about being a law abiding citizen and you will have all the privacy you are entitled to under the constitution. The government doesnt give a hoot about you jerkoffs that think bigbrother is listening to all your conversations or monitoring your data. Be serious people. FBI CANNOT monitor individuals without court order. Once you break the law you shouldnt have rights. Apple and all the other tech companies have an obligation morally and ethically to help law enforcement get the data to prevent or gather information to keep us all safe. If Cook's wife was murdered in San Bernardino i wonder if he would feel the same way. Jail his ass until he complies.
You know, I suspect Tim Cook's response would be similar to that of a mother of one the San Bernardino victims, Carole Adams:
Carole Adams — whose son Robert was killed in the San Bernardino attack last year — has spoken out in support of Apple's position on encryption, saying the company "is definitely within their rights to protect the privacy of all Americans."
"This is what separates us from communism, isn't it?" Adams told the New York Post. "The fact we have the right to privacy."
You see, not everyone is a pants-pissing hater of liberty like yourself. Many of us cherish the Ben Franklin's motto that it one should not give up an essential liberty for a little extra safety. But go ahead and keep licking the boots of law enforcement if that makes the world less scary for you.
I guess, my PHD aside, I'm just one of the unwashed public but the Apple response is very very disappointing. Apple needs to come up with a solution -- and there is always a solution. Here is what I wrote, admittedly an emotional argument, to Tim Cook.
"Dear Mr. Cook: You really need to find a solution to how to provide FBI access to the terrorist iPhone. You are a smart man in a smart company and can surely find an answer better than your resounding “NO” to the FBI. Obviously someone will crack your codes eventually but that’s besides the point. The US needs this information NOW to save lives. You are effectively aiding terrorists. Chinese labor practices were bad enough but this — unforgivable. Apple’s image is being irreversibly damaged in my opinion and this will probably be the beginning of the end of your leadership there and indeed Apple’s great popularity. I and my students have been devoted Apple users 40 years but now I will be rethinking my future purchases." NO is not an acceptable response and it's Apples responsibility to help in my opinion.
I wonder how all you Apple supporters would feel if it was your mother, father... Tim Cook ... only care about making billions more. How about being a law abiding citizen and you will have all the privacy you are entitled to. FBI CANNOT monitor individuals without court order. Once you break the law you shouldnt have rights. Jail his ass until he complies.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Wow, where are all these people crawled out from under??
I guess, my PHD aside, I'm just one of the unwashed public but the Apple response is very very disappointing. Apple needs to come up with a solution -- and there is always a solution. Here is what I wrote, admittedly an emotional argument, to Tim Cook.
"Dear Mr. Cook: You really need to find a solution to how to provide FBI access to the terrorist iPhone. You are a smart man in a smart company and can surely find an answer better than your resounding “NO” to the FBI. Obviously someone will crack your codes eventually but that’s besides the point. The US needs this information NOW to save lives. You are effectively aiding terrorists. Chinese labor practices were bad enough but this — unforgivable. Apple’s image is being irreversibly damaged in my opinion and this will probably be the beginning of the end of your leadership there and indeed Apple’s great popularity. I and my students have been devoted Apple users 40 years but now I will be rethinking my future purchases." NO is not an acceptable response and it's Apples responsibility to help in my opinion.
Sadly
You and your students bought the Apple I when it was released?
Comments
Very well put.
How could Apple provide a new version of iOS to the FBI that would be loadable on the device without wiping its existing user-data?
Here's an interesting read on some more technical requirements with legal repercussions even if Apple could perform the task being asked of them.
http://www.zdziarski.com/blog/?p=5645
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/netscape-announces-worldwide-availability-of-strong-encryption-communicator-browser-72192037.html
I'm surprised the US Government hasn't just added a manufacturer tax to devices that employ strong encryption, unless they provide a back-door to the FBI. That would be an incentive!
This is of course what the rulers wanted:
and in the immortal words of Morpheus
"The system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it."
This is all YOUR family, YOUR boss the pizza delivery boy and ALL your friends!
Just a bad strategic move, Apple care about privacy? While they collect and store everything they find about their users? Get real, people. The whole wipe scheme did not exist two years ago, and we somehow did just fine but if you don't want your secrets found, don't carry them in your pocket.
Last week, new comments I was seeing were roughly 50/50.
The government's own bungling alone is proving Apple's case to the public at large. Comments today are closer to 80% in Apple's favor. The fact that Apple has been in there trying to help from the start, has destroyed the FBI's narrative of them being uncooperative/unpatriotic.
The last tactic they've got is an emotional plea using the families. Hard to swallow the idea of federal 'caring', considering how badly the FBI have handled the case from the start, and the government's poor ability to screen people on their own watch lists. If the government had focused more on the data they already had, this incident might have been totally or partially prevented.
So how are we meant to gauge how biased the survey is?
2) Apple's argument is certainly not committing a slippery slope fallacy, but nice try. If the evidence supports a reasonable conclusion then there is no fallacy. Slippery slope happens when the chain of logical implication (or quantifying the relevant probabilities) is not justified from step to step in the chain of propositions and conclusions. In the case of Apple's argumentation there is no claimed chain of unsupported events. What has been argued is that if the government compelled them to write code then there are real consequences as specified by Apple and other educated, unaffiliated parties. But hey, you did succeed in creating a red herring fallacy. Good work!
Carole Adams — whose son Robert was killed in the San Bernardino attack last year — has spoken out in support of Apple's position on encryption, saying the company "is definitely within their rights to protect the privacy of all Americans."
"This is what separates us from communism, isn't it?" Adams told the New York Post. "The fact we have the right to privacy."
You see, not everyone is a pants-pissing hater of liberty like yourself. Many of us cherish the Ben Franklin's motto that it one should not give up an essential liberty for a little extra safety. But go ahead and keep licking the boots of law enforcement if that makes the world less scary for you.
"Dear Mr. Cook: You really need to find a solution to how to provide FBI access to the terrorist iPhone. You are a smart man in a smart company and can surely find an answer better than your resounding “NO” to the FBI. Obviously someone will crack your codes eventually but that’s besides the point. The US needs this information NOW to save lives. You are effectively aiding terrorists. Chinese labor practices were bad enough but this — unforgivable. Apple’s image is being irreversibly damaged in my opinion and this will probably be the beginning of the end of your leadership there and indeed Apple’s great popularity. I and my students have been devoted Apple users 40 years but now I will be rethinking my future purchases." NO is not an acceptable response and it's Apples responsibility to help in my opinion.
Sadly
You and your students bought the Apple I when it was released?