Google(GOOG) CEO Sundar Pichai has given tentative support to Apple(AAPL) in its fight against a court order that would force it to effectively hack into an iPhone by creating a special version of the device’s firmware.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said Wednesday that Apple would fight the order because it created a “chilling” precedent for bypassing the security of iPhones. In a series of tweets, Pichai fell short of outright agreement with Apple’s stance, but he said Cook’s letter was important and suggested the FBI’s demands went beyond traditional cooperation between tech firms and law enforcement.
1/5 Important post by @tim_cook. Forcing companies to enable hacking could compromise users’ privacy
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) February 17, 2016
2/5 We know that law enforcement and intelligence agencies face significant challenges in protecting the public against crime and terrorism
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) February 17, 2016
3/5 We build secure products to keep your information safe and we give law enforcement access to data based on valid legal orders
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) February 17, 2016
4/5 But that’s wholly different than requiring companies to enable hacking of customer devices & data. Could be a troubling precedent
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) February 17, 2016
5/5 Looking forward to a thoughtful and open discussion on this important issue
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) February 17, 2016
The case involves the iPhone 5c of one of the San Bernardino shooters, who were responsible for 14 deaths and the injury of a further 22 people last December.
According to the FBI, Apple’s security mechanisms for the device — which are not as strong as those for newer iPhones — make it impossible for investigators to get past the lock screen, so they want Apple to build a new tool for bypassing those security mechanisms. Cook said Apple is worried the tool will get out into the wild and undermine security for more iPhone users.
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Jan Koum, the founder of Facebook-owned(FB) WhatsApp, has also backed Cook in this fight — and so, judging by this poll, have Fortune readers.
Donald Trump dubbed Apple “disgraceful” and presidential rival Marco Rubio said he hoped the firm would comply with the order, but billionaire Marc Cuban has given a resounding “amen” to Apple’s stance. Cuban suggested that tools undermining smartphone security could end up helping terrorists in their planning.
