Apple allies oppose the FBI, but want the data – El Heraldo (Colombia)

California. In his struggle with the FBI, Apple says that defends the privacy and security of all iPhone users to resist government orders to help you unlock an extremist. And now, other large technology companies like Google and Facebook take sides with Apple.

But these are precisely the companies that Apple has criticized accusations veiled that exploit the personal information of people to sell advertising and put endanger the privacy of users.

Some would say that’s allies Apple are hypocritical in terms of privacy.

But the concept of privacy in Silicon Valley has certain subtleties and generally , Americans are less concerned about the private sector that the government’s power to undermine individual rights.

“the government can imprison me,” said Larry Downs, researcher business and public policy at Georgetown University . “Google, Facebook and Twitter can not do it.”

Hence the particular importance of the iPhone case. The FBI says only requests limited technical assistance to overcome the reservations phone used by one of the authors of the massacre of San Bernardino, in which 14 people died. “We could not look survivors face not to follow this track,” the FBI director James Comey said.

Apple argues that a court order would force her to create software that would other iPhones vulnerable to hacking by the authorities and criminals. leaders like Google, Twitter, Facebook and Microsoft companies say they will present arguments in support of Apple’s stance.

The same companies raised their voices when the former contractor Edward Snowden revealed the extent of surveillance programs the National Security Agency to collect user data and even penetrate their networks without their knowledge. Companies have resorted to the courts and Congress to limit the collection of information by the government and also combat attempts to weaken the codes that protect electronic messages from prying eyes.

But advocates privacy argue that these companies earn billions through personal information and records online behavior of their customers, using them as targets for advertising.

the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, has boasted that most of the services provided by your company does not depend on advertising revenue. And he said more than once: “When an online service is free, you are not the customer’re the product.”

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