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Tech giants don’t want Obama to give police access to encrypted phone data
The Washington Post ^ | May 19 at 8:34 AM | By Ellen Nakashima

Posted on 05/19/2015 3:27:56 PM PDT by Swordmaker

FBI Director James B. Comey has expressed concern that the growing use of encrypted technologies is hindering the ability of law enforcement agencies to do their jobs. (Andrew Harnik/AP) May 19 at 8:34 AM Tech behemoths including Apple and Google and leading cryptologists are urging President Obama to reject any government proposal that alters the security of smartphones and other communications devices so that law enforcement can view decrypted data.

In a letter to be sent Tuesday and obtained by The Washington Post, a coalition of tech firms, security experts and others appeal to the White House to protect privacy rights as it considers how to address law enforcement’s need to access data that is increasingly encrypted.

“Strong encryption is the cornerstone of the modern information economy’s security,” said the letter, signed by more than 140 tech companies, prominent technologists and civil society groups.

The letter comes as senior law enforcement officials warn about the threat to public safety from a loss of access to data and communications. Apple and Google last year announced they were offering forms of smartphone encryption so secure that even law enforcement agencies could not gain access — even with a warrant.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: 1stamendment; apple; privacy; security; windowspinglist
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1 posted on 05/19/2015 3:27:56 PM PDT by Swordmaker
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To: ~Kim4VRWC's~; 1234; Abundy; Action-America; acoulterfan; AFreeBird; Airwinger; Aliska; altair; ...
Apple, Google, and 140 other tech companies send a letter to Obama telling him to NOT require backdoors on computers, cellphones, and other consumer devices — PING!


Apple and other Tech Giants petition the
Federal government to keep hands off privacy!
Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

I challenge the members of the Apple ping list to each donate at least $10 each to the latest Freepathon. I HAVE donated $100. Many members of the Apple Ping list are already rising to the challenge. Join them. Let's show the power of the Apple Ping list in supporting Freerepublic!

If you have ordered an Apple Watch,
MAKE A DONATION TO THE FREEPATHON!

2 posted on 05/19/2015 3:31:12 PM PDT by Swordmaker ( This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users contnue...)
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To: Swordmaker

You voted for him. You go to Hell with him.


3 posted on 05/19/2015 3:31:28 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: dayglored; ShadowAce

ping for your lists.


4 posted on 05/19/2015 3:31:53 PM PDT by Swordmaker ( This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users contnue...)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
You voted for him. You go to Hell with him.

Speak for yourself. . . don't make accusations you cannot back up.

5 posted on 05/19/2015 3:32:45 PM PDT by Swordmaker ( This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users contnue...)
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To: Swordmaker
"The Washington Post, a coalition of tech firms, security experts and others appeal to the White House to protect privacy rights as it considers how to address law enforcement’s need to access data"

Aw shucks that's funny! Let me know when law enforcement gets a crack at Hillary's server?

6 posted on 05/19/2015 3:33:11 PM PDT by blackdog (There is no such thing as healing, only a balance between destructive and constructive forces.)
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To: Swordmaker

I’m assuming he’s referring to the folks at Apple/Google as obamatrons.


7 posted on 05/19/2015 3:36:30 PM PDT by Sirius Lee (All that is required for evil to advance is for government to do "something")
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Would that be the Google that honors MLK and Rahmadanadingdong on their page but not Easter?


8 posted on 05/19/2015 3:40:04 PM PDT by dp0622
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To: Swordmaker

I’m talking about the leftists who live in Silicon Valley.

They supported Barry so it’s not my problem they get screwed by him and fedzilla.


9 posted on 05/19/2015 3:40:14 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: Swordmaker

If we compromise data security for our own government, we also are compromising our data security against hackers, spies, and criminals both foreign and domestic.

Imagine if the government required every deadbolt to accept a certain master key so they could open it. How long would it take for burglars to create their own copy of that key? Or what if the government required every vault to open with a certain “master combination”. Would you trust any bank to hold your valuables, knowing that it was just a matter of time before thieves figured out the code?

Until the government can guarantee our security, it has no reasonable standing to ask us to compromise our ability to secure ourselves. If we do that, then nothing is going to protect us.


10 posted on 05/19/2015 3:46:26 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Swordmaker

“FBI Director James B. Comey has expressed concern that the growing use of encrypted technologies is hindering the ability of law enforcement agencies to do their jobs.”

Wrong answer...

It’s their “JOBS” to enforce the law within the confines of the Bill of rights.


11 posted on 05/19/2015 3:46:28 PM PDT by babygene (.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

“They supported Barry so it’s not my problem they get screwed by him and fedzilla.”

Ah, but it is your problem, unless you are a mountain man living off the grid or something. Obviously, since you’re FReeping that can’t be true.

What we are talking about is not just the Feds screwing some guys at Google or Apple, they will be screwing every citizen by making sure that all our electronic communications, transactions, and activity are essentially an “open book”.

It used to be that we were free to use the best security systems we could devise to protect ourselves. The only restrictions the government put on us was not to export the most advanced technology to other countries without their approval. Now, the government is going to ask us to purposely compromise our own security systems, to make their prying easier. It will be illegal, if they have their way, to secure yourself to the best of your ability, or to the best level that money can buy.


12 posted on 05/19/2015 3:52:04 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Actually Tim Cook and his Apple fags donated too much to the Dems, along with the Google obama ass=kissers so yes, I completely agree with you.

They will eventually hand over everything to their idiot master that they worship, King Klownie the Kenyan.


13 posted on 05/19/2015 4:05:22 PM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company last election, and I laughed while they cried (true story))
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To: Swordmaker; Abby4116; afraidfortherepublic; aft_lizard; AF_Blue; Alas Babylon!; amigatec; ...
> ping for your lists.

ABSOLUTELY!! Thanks, Swordmaker!

STOP GOVERNMENT SNOOPING - Say virtually all major tech makers ... PING!

You can find all the Windows Ping list threads with FR search: search on keyword "windowspinglist".

And I'm very glad to see MICROSOFT's name on this list. They are sometimes strangely absent on these issues.

14 posted on 05/19/2015 4:06:15 PM PDT by dayglored (Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is...sounding pretty good about now.)
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To: Boogieman
Ah, but it is your problem

Ah, it's not. I didn't fete Obama with millions of dollars in campaign donations or held endless fundraisers. I didn't screw over my customers by getting in bed with Obama.

These techies knew what they were getting into when then jumped on the Obama bandwagon, and now the feds are about to put the screws to them. That smell you're smelling? Pure schaudenfraude.

As for your mountain-man comment, you're right. I live in Northern WI and have access to fresh water. I have supplies. I'm prepared if communications go down.

So Google and Apple and all the other tech companies can join Obama in that hot, sulfuric place below.

15 posted on 05/19/2015 4:07:48 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: max americana
Of course they will. They will hand Obama and the feds everything they know about encrypted data.

Oh, they won't do it in a way that will arouse suspicion. It'll be a "joint public-private" effort to crack down on mobile child porn or something, or to "enhance" 911 or the Amber Alert.

So this letter they're sending has all the outrage and opposition of a letter sent by Speaker Boehner. In the end, they'll bend over, which I'm sure Apple CEO Cook has plenty of experience in.

16 posted on 05/19/2015 4:11:27 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
They supported Barry so it’s not my problem they get screwed by him and fedzilla.

Unfortunately, it is there customers, US, that get screwed by the Fedzilla. Apple has made their devices completely inaccessible even to Apple as they do not have the keys. The Government is talking about passing laws requiring backdoor. If there IS a backdoor, you can be guaranteed that hackers will find it. . . or bribe their way through it.

17 posted on 05/19/2015 4:20:31 PM PDT by Swordmaker ( This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users contnue...)
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To: Swordmaker

It’s my personal property and jack booted thugs have no right to anything contained in it or that is transmitted through it.


18 posted on 05/19/2015 4:20:48 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Swordmaker

Anybody who refuses to honor a warrant can sit in jail forever if he doesn’t cough up the password.
So...

I think it’s the encrypted stuff that Apple, Google, etc have on the phone that they want to keep secret- and the government wants to know.
If their customers ever found out the how closely Apple, Google, etc. were spying on them they’d sue.


19 posted on 05/19/2015 4:22:49 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
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To: mrsmith
Anybody who refuses to honor a warrant can sit in jail forever if he doesn’t cough up the password. So...

Nonsense. What if you forget your password? You stay in jail for the rest of your life?

Also, wouldn't it raise Fifth Amendment issues?

If the government wants to put you in prison for something, let them acquire their evidence without your assistance, just like it always has been.

Mathematics is mathematics. That it might pose obstacles to totalitarians is just a hard motherf-----g fact of life...

20 posted on 05/19/2015 4:41:20 PM PDT by sargon
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