timelets: (Default)
timelets ([personal profile] timelets) wrote2016-02-23 08:26 pm

FBI vs Apple

What's the probability that the legal dispute between Apple and FBI about the San Bernardino terrorist's phone will go before the Supreme Court?

Apple has tons of money and seems to be willing to go all the way to defend its right to provide privacy-enabled technology to its customers. Apple doesn't own the phone; therefore it cannot be compelled to comply with a possible search warrant. Apple does own the backup of the phone and I believe have already provided the FBI with the data. Essentially, the government is asking Apple to facilitate a break-in. We already have a similar provision for airplane luggage locks. That is, the only physical locks on sale are those that can be opened by a master key supplied to the government by the manufacturer. That's why nobody uses physical locks on their bags. Are we going to have the same situation with privacy protection on personal devices because of the court's decision?

Hard to say. I don't have a clue how to come up with a probability estimate.