Forgive me if this is old news, but the Apple vs. FBI dispute is poignant, and more than I think the average person realizes. Apple is taking a decisive stance on liberty, and we should pay attention.
Tim Cook says creating an iOS with a back door creates a Pandora’s Box that, once leaked (which John McAffee, creator or the eponymous security software says takes only an average two to three weeks) will put every iPhone user’s data at risk. Not only will it put it at risk at the hands of law enforcers, but criminals will capitalize on it. Petty thieves will jack the delectable $600 phones and sell them to more organized criminals for the devices’ worth and the data mining that can be done. Identity theft is already huge, but can you imagine what will happen once the criminal tech industry has it easy to crack iPhones? Even worse, what happens when our geopolitical enemies get a hold of this ability? (Even President Obama is concern about that.) Not cool, FBI; and not cool, Bill Gates for saying the request isn’t a big deal. Shame on you, bro. Don’t play dumb. I knew I never liked Windows in the first place. 😡
But real talk here. The scarier prospect is just as real, but less people consider it so. Let me paint you a picture. One with witches in seventeenth century Massachusetts. Now, let’s juxtapose a picture of anti-communists and mid-twentieth century Washington D.C. I think you know what I’m talking about. It’s not really a juxtaposition at all. The liberal use of a catch-all term for those we don’t like and need to have gone. Yeah, I know—it’s easy to guess that I’m going to relate that to the word “terrorist,” huh? Cute, right? And next I’ll say how my proof is the Patriot Act. How unpredictable! Well, think about it. Haven’t we seen people stretch the term for a purpose greater than we had pre-9/11? Hasn’t the Patriot Act chiseled away the Bill of Rights? Honestly, here’s a link. Tell me if you think we have half of those. I’ll give you a minute.
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Now that you’ve pondered, let me make two points: 1. privacy (the Fourth Amendment) should be protected like the right to self-defense (Second Amendment), and 2. terrorism’s definition can easily be applied to anyone who does anything violent or frightening. All you have to do is look through their social media or phone to assemble a political agenda they would posses. But even if you’re not a “terrorist” in the most liberal sense of the word, you have reason to fear. If you’re suspect of anything, your phone can be used against you. And the pressure on Apple is a slippery slope. Four examples:
- Husband kills estranged wife at mall. Murder suicide. He was Caucasian, she was African-American. Police found text messages with the word n***er. He’s a racist domestic terrorist. Media flames it up. Society enraged.
- Road rage incident occurs. First fight on road median. One party’s phone is left at the scene. Other party presses charges using extracted data.
- Homosexual couple trespass and perform wedding in Southern Baptist chapel. Insight religious backlash. Outspoken Twitter users are pursued for hate speech. Some accounts are difficult to associate with real names, until one neighbor narcs. Police arrest suspect on charges of unpaid parking tickets, hacking phone once in possession. Charged with conspiracy of domestic terrorism.
- Elementary school stabbing takes place, suspect escapes. Apple is pressured to reveal any iPhone user GPS data gatherable that would indicate a suspect. As per precedent, they comply.
Too specific? Too hokey? Well, ask any of your nerd friends that are into programming and cyber security. This is a real threat.
Don’t take liberty for granted.
Update: FBI Accessed San Bernardino Shooter’s iPhone Without Apple, Drops Lawsuit
Th' Bookaneer 