Government Can't Let Smartphones Be `Black Boxes,' Obama Says.

[Tackhisis]

The company may choose the way they want, but we cannot allow people to send messages that cannot be perlustrated. That is against the interests of society.

[klaghatagh]

"You cannot take an absolutist view on this," Obama said at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. "If your argument is strong encryption no matter what, and we can and should create black boxes, that I think does not strike the kind of balance we have lived with for 200, 300 years, and it’s fetishizing our phones above every other value."

I think what Obeme's referring to is that if you had a lockbox and the cops had a warrant for that lockbox, you are required to give them the key under the terms of the warrant. That's always been expected when a warrant is issued and just because you have a lockbox with a super special, high-tech amazo lock, that doesn't mean that you're no less obligated to hand over the key. It's always been like this - this is what he's referring to with the 200/300 year comment, not that we've had cellphones for that long.

However, that's not really an apt metaphor because what's here is more akin to going to the manufacturer of the lockbox and demanding they hand over the master key for all the lockboxes just to get into this one and they super pinky swear promise that they won't use it to get into other ones.

[xChurch]

I won't be long before Quantum computing allows the Government to break any encryption anyhow so pretty soon this will be a non-issue...for better or worse.

[oplawlz]

The company may choose the way they want, but we cannot allow people to send messages that cannot be perlustrated. That is against the interests of society.

The exact opposite, actually. Private communication is the backbone of the free world. Imagine if the tyrants who were overthrown to create the society we live in had been able to intercept every communication in their respective kingdoms . . . chilling.

[techgeek]

I won't be long before Quantum computing allows the Government to break any encryption anyhow so pretty soon this will be a non-issue...for better or worse.

I feel as though this is not a well researched POV...

Perhaps you meant to say that they will be able to break most standard encryption that we currently use, but, they're already talking about the theory behind quantum encryption and I've been lead to believe it's going to be insanely difficult for them in terms of a brute force attack.

http://www.popsci.com/chinas-quantum...graphy-forever

[Mistame]

The company may choose the way they want, but we cannot allow people to send messages that cannot be perlustrated. That is against the interests of society.

When it comes to an individual's privacy, the "interests of society" are irrelevant.

[xChurch]

I feel as though this is not a well researched POV...

Perhaps you meant to say that they will be able to break most standard encryption that we currently use, but, they're already talking about the theory behind quantum encryption and I've been lead to believe it's going to be insanely difficult for them in terms of a brute force attack.

http://www.popsci.com/chinas-quantum...graphy-forever

I'm well aware it works both ways, but I highly doubt the average citizen is going to be sending satellites into space in order to secure their nude selfies and sexts. I was more referring to the type of encryption referenced in the OP. Household Quantum Computers are still very far off.

[techgeek]

I'm well aware it works both ways, but I highly doubt the average citizen is going to be sending satellites into space in order to secure their nude selfies and sexts. I was more referring to the type of encryption referenced in the OP. Household Quantum Computers are still very far off.

When you state "any encryption", you can see how I might take you literally. Not meant to offend, just felt it was worth clarifying.

[Kaleredar]

Yeah, go fuck yourself Obama

You know that Trump holds exactly the same view as Obama in this case, right?

[Schmeebs]

I agree that the government should have a right to serve a warrant on a phone on reasonable evidence of a crime....


...I don't agree that this puts responsibility on the manufacturer of the phone to ensure that warrant gets what it wants. In an ideal world, the FBI/CIA/NSA's ability to crack encryption outpaces commercially available encryption. That is no longer true.

It's an unsolvable problem. I can't see anything but huge issues with allowing back doors into encryption.

the NSA may be able to break it, but theyy probably don't want to advertise that they can.

[hrugner]

the NSA may be able to break it, but theyy probably don't want to advertise that they can.

They tend not to need to. The NSA fights to keep access to phone metadata because that's all they need to get the information they may want, which is mostly just webs of social and economic support. the inter-departmental secrecy war is the only real reason hacking iphones is of any interest.

[LilSaihah]

This is such a transparent grab. I've never said this before, but I can't even.

[Felya]

The company may choose the way they want, but we cannot allow people to send messages that cannot be perlustrated. That is against the interests of society.

No, I think giving away privacy is against interest if society. This is not right and it's in the best interest to garner popular opinion for Apple to not budge. If Obama or congress want to establish this crap as part of their history, take the political hit. Apple should not let them...

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You know that Trump holds exactly the same view as Obama in this case, right?

No need to hand wave Trump... Plenty of threads for that...

[bloodrunner]

This is like the police busting in and saying "We have a warrant, show us where your stuff is. DO IT NOW!!" If they get a warrant and can't get in, that's tough. I don't much like Apple as as vendor, but on this I stand with them. We can't be forced to give evidence to convict ourselves. Just because the guy is dead does not change that.

[Collegeguy]

One of the most ignorant statements from Obama.

[SodiumChloride]

The company may choose the way they want, but we cannot allow people to send messages that cannot be perlustrated. That is against the interests of society.

You do realize that the encryption algorithms used by Apple are public knowledge right?

Anyone can build off those algorithms and create security devices like Apple if they put in the time and effort.

Apple is the only one targeted at the moment because they ahead of the curve vs their competitors in this department.

The newest iPhones have a separate co-processor (on die) called the Secure Enclave that does the encryption and handles security in general.

They really secured the iPhone pretty tightly and the FBI is having trouble breaking in.

PS: Not really surprised personally. Every time there is a security breach of some sort in Apple's products, the media drags them through the mud, so not exactly unexpected that they hired the best security expertise money could buy and build a virtual fortress into their flagship product.

[Deleted]

The company may choose the way they want, but we cannot allow people to send messages that cannot be perlustrated. That is against the interests of society.

The scary thought is that I am bound to a rock, moving hundreds of kilometers per second through the space, with people like you.

[Zecora]

Yeah, go fuck yourself Obama

With a cactus.

[Deleted]

If Obama wasn't pursuing the issue of unlocking a terrorist's phone, the GOP would be all over him for going soft on terrorism.

Since he can't be re-elected he would have nothing to lose. Usually presidents on their second term do reasonable things, I guess Obama has decided to go "fuck you" people who actually want privacy.

[Kuntantee]

Why not refer to company when help needed? Why is the push for a back door?

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I won't be long before Quantum computing allows the Government to break any encryption anyhow so pretty soon this will be a non-issue...for better or worse.

And there will be encryption algorithms for quantum computers. Government may enjoy some 10-year before quantum computers going into mainstream use tho.