Tim Cook: FBI is asking Apple to create 'software equivalent of cancer'

Posted:
in General Discussion edited February 2016
In a lengthy interview with ABC News anchor David Muir, Apple CEO Tim Cook reiterated that the repercussions of complying with FBI requests to build an iOS backdoor don't end with one smartphone, but instead have implications that ripple far beyond to hundreds of millions of iOS device owners.




In questioning Cook, Muir first addressed public opinion, which relates the ongoing encryption debate directly -- and solely -- with 14 people who lost their lives in last year's San Bernardino terrorist attack. Cook, however, remained resolute in his stance that creating a software workaround endangers hundreds of millions of Apple customers.

"It's not like we have information on this phone in the next office over. We have no other information on this phone. None," Cook said. "The only way we know to get additional information is to write a piece of software that is the software equivalent of cancer. That is what is at stake here."

Put more succinctly, Cook said "the future is at stake" in Apple's legal battle for user privacy.



When asked about FBI Director James Comey's public statements regarding a one-device workaround, Cook elaborated on the slippery slope argument. If Apple were compelled to build the software requested, it might later be forced to create other intrusive tools like an operating system for surveillance, or code that turns on an iPhone's camera without a user's knowledge, Cook said. These dangers, while intangible at this point, pose a very real threat to the public at large.

"I don't know where this stops, but this should not be happening in this country. This is not what should be happening in America," Cook said, adding that if an encryption law is to be instated, it should first be debated in Congress.

Muir asked why Apple and the FBI were unable to cooperate on the matter earlier, perhaps in a secret lab akin to those used to develop next-generation devices. In response, Cook said that while he can't comment of FBI tactics, the agency chose to take its fight into the public realm. Last week Apple was ordered by a federal magistrate judge to comply with FBI requests for assistance in unlocking an iPhone 5c used by San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook.

Pressed further on the issue, the Apple chief boiled down the debate into one of principle.

"In a perfect world where none of the implications that I'm talking about exist, yes, we would do it -- we would obviously do it," Cook said. "But we don't live in a perfect world."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 62
    After watching this interview, my respect for anyone in tech cannot be higher than it is for this man. Bravo.
    rogifan_oldration alibilliqatedoSoliericthehalfbeeicoco3caliquadra 610fastasleep
  • Reply 2 of 62
    Stick to your (OUR) guns! Data security is one reason we use iPhones in our family.
    ration aliqatedoicoco3calilatifbpsergiozmoreckredgeminipajbdragon
  • Reply 3 of 62
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    1) Waiting for the bumper sticker: If you take encryption away from the people then only the bad people will have encryption.

    2) Stay vigilant Mr. Cook!
    icoco3SpamSandwichcalilatifbpmorecklymfredgeminipapalominejbdragon
  • Reply 4 of 62
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member
    Good for you Tim Cook. A gutsy stand that would make SJ very, very proud.
    cornchipcalilatifbpmorecklymfredgeminipapalominejbdragon
  • Reply 5 of 62
    Would he look into a phone if a terrorist attack were planned for Apple HQ?  You can bet he would.
  • Reply 6 of 62
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Would he look into a phone if a terrorist attack were planned for Apple HQ?  You can bet he would.
    1) And they looked into this phone not to mention countless others over the years. 

    2) Would they create an entirely new version of their SW that builds in a backdoor? Of course not. There is no slippery slope, only a ledge.
    icoco3caliiqatedolatifbpsergiozmoreckpalominejbdragon
  • Reply 7 of 62
    If you want free speech for everyone, it means you have to let the Nazis march in the parade. If you want Privacy for everyone, you can't allow the FBI to pry open phones, not even THAT Phone.
    icoco3kevin keebrakkenstevehsflagelredgeminipajbdragon
  • Reply 8 of 62
    roakeroake Posts: 809member
    "They're all dead anyway, so what difference does it make?"

    Oh, wait.  That was a quote from Hillary on another topic.  Disregard.
    edited February 2016 cornchipcalibrakkenstevehdiplication
  • Reply 9 of 62
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,945member
    Brilliant.
    calimoreck
  • Reply 10 of 62
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    Would he look into a phone if a terrorist attack were planned for Apple HQ?  You can bet he would.
    I would imagine he would be too busy making sure his employees were safe and the building secure to navel gaze while his engineers spent months building a backdoor for iPhones.

    Not a good analogy mate.
    calikevin keemoreckronn
  • Reply 11 of 62
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Would he look into a phone if a terrorist attack were planned for Apple HQ?  You can bet he would.
    How would he know an attack was planned at Apple HQ? 
    calicornchipdigital_guymoreckronnredgeminipadorkus maximus
  • Reply 12 of 62
    iqatedo said:
    Good for you Tim Cook. A gutsy stand that would make SJ very, very proud.
    Steve Jobs would have just told the FBI to #%$! off. And he'd also be right.
    calipunkndrubliciqatedokevin keelatifbpmoreckredgeminipapalomine
  • Reply 13 of 62
    On the anniversary of Steve Jobs' 61'st birthday, his protege, Tim Cook, did Steve proud.

    And as Apple customers since 1984, Mr. Cook did my wife and I proud as well.

    Thank you, Mr. Cook!
    caliiqatedokevin keelatifbpmoreckredgeminipa
  • Reply 14 of 62
    So...

    FBI = cancer

    Lol priceless.

    Nicely (and cleverly) done, Tim!   
    edited February 2016 brakkenmoreckredgeminipa
  • Reply 15 of 62
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    Wow those words! Tim Cook is kicking a**!!

    Cheers to the Cook haters!
    latifbpmoreck
  • Reply 16 of 62
    A little off  the subject here,  but  did anyone  notice the laptop on his back desk. It was  all black, there is no all black notebook made by Apple, at first I  thought it was an iPad but then I  noticed  it had a OS X dock?
  • Reply 17 of 62
    Tim was brilliant and consistent. The interviewer was annoying with his repetitive questions. He missed one time opportunity to ask really insightful questions.
    moreckredgeminipa
  • Reply 18 of 62
    Would he look into a phone if a terrorist attack were planned for Apple HQ?  You can bet he would.
    From Wikipedia:

    Ad hominem circumstantial points out that someone is in circumstances such that they are disposed to take a particular position. Ad hominem circumstantial constitutes an attack on the bias of a source. This is fallacious because a disposition to make a certain argument does not make the argument false.
    punkndrubliccornchipmoreck
  • Reply 19 of 62
    Cwehner said:
    A little off  the subject here,  but  did anyone  notice the laptop on his back desk. It was  all black, there is no all black notebook made by Apple, at first I  thought it was an iPad but then I  noticed  it had a OS X dock?
    It's Macbook I guess. Could be a golden or grey version.
    edited February 2016
  • Reply 20 of 62
    matrix077 said:
    Cwehner said:
    A little off  the subject here,  but  did anyone  notice the laptop on his back desk. It was  all black, there is no all black notebook made by Apple, at first I  thought it was an iPad but then I  noticed  it had a OS X dock?
    It's Macbook I guess. Could be a golden or grey version.
    You thought it was gold or gray, it sure  looked all black to me.
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