What is the FBI actually up to when it comes to Apple?
To understand you have to get your mind around where we are today.
We are on the precipice of created secure communication that relies on identifiers such as voice recognition, retina identification, speech pattern and tone, facial recognition… anon. We will soon see phones and devices that only respond to the specific individual who ‘owns’ therm. We will be able to send messages, voice, text, etc. that only the intended recipient can access.
The Government sees this clearly…
Since Government views Private Communication as a Weapon.
They are simply attempting to make creation of such ‘encrypted’ communication illegal to distribute to The Public without an ability to defeat it being simultaneously created.
In other words, they are trying to get ahead of the technology by seeking a precedent through the courts which would require companies to cease creation of ever more secure communications (again, For the Public…) which they, the Government and the Company itself, cannot access through a back door. Every encryption program would require a key, built-in decoding or means of access for third a third-party.
The FBI would be fine (currently) with Apple being the only one with the ability to access your phone as long as the Government has legal precedent on their side to Force Apple, or whatever company owning the tech, to comply with their demand of information. If the Company in question refuses to comply… in typical Socialist-Fascist behavior, the Government destroys the company.
Keep in mind, Deciphering messages is ‘easy’ (in the most complex meaning of the word) for our Government. (Reference Quantum Cryptography) But… if there is no message to ‘decrypt or decipher’, then they are impotent.
Here we are.
This is what the FBI-Apple battle is really about.
We are on the edge of genuine privacy within our electronic communications…
…and We like it.
…and our Government Hates it.
The aspect of this I find most interesting is ‘What about the rest of the World and their Governments?’
Do you think China is going to stop this technology in its tracks? What about Russia? Iran?
Of course not. Those with the Power of Force will capitalize on these abilities and utilize it to control their respective populations.
All of this ‘court ordered access’ will only apply to None Government folks… us.
makeaneffort 
February 29th, 2016 at 4:49 pm
I’ll drink to that!
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February 29th, 2016 at 9:13 am
Of all the arguments I have heard on this – you clarified it best. I think it is difficult for some people to wrap their head around the fact that the government wants to control us and access every nook and cranny of our lives and they will use fear to make their case for such access – many people might think “it’s just one phone – so what?”
But do you think anything important – and I mean “this will save the world” kind of importance- could be on that phone? And if there is, does it really matter?
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February 29th, 2016 at 2:18 pm
No… in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter what’s on that phone in comparison to our privacy and ability to communicate with each other without fear of nosy public servants. A couple of years ago I posted on the NSA folks who were looking into girlfriends and associates. After those stories were published and the NSA stated they were ‘handling it’, nothing else was mentioned. These are the people (humans like the rest of us) that we are supposed to be assured would never abuse their ability to spy. While, sadly, it comes down to who gets to define ‘abuse’… I wondered out loud at the time if those who were spied upon were notified and allowed to sue. I suspect not.
There will always be elements of danger we must be prepared to live with in order to remain free. Anonymous communication should be one of them.
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