Why Apple Defends Encryption

TidBits.com ^ | January 20, 2016 -- 19:53 GMT | by Rich Mogull

[Swordmaker]

Why is it Apple that is taking such a prominent stance ahead of all other tech companies on protecting consumer privacy? TidBits' Rich Mogull takes on that question, concluding that Apple is uniquely positioned to champion the consumers' privacy over all other tech companies because of its product line and business model.

"Apple is nearly unique among technology leaders in that it's high profile, has revenue lines that don't rely on compromising privacy, and sells products that are squarely in the crosshairs of the encryption debate. Because of this, Apple comes from a far more defensible position, especially now that the company is dropping its iAd App Network." -- PING!

Pinging Shadow Ace, dayglored, and ThunderSleeps for the overall relevance of this article.

Apple's Support of Consumer Privacy. Why?
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[Aliska]

I defend Apple’s encryption and hope they will prevail.

[Forgotten Amendments]

Starting to like this homo

[Swordmaker]

I defend Apple's encryption and hope they will prevail.

Some know nothing in the New York State Legislature has introduced a bill to prohibit the sale of any cellular device that allows encryption that the manufacturer cannot decipher. That would prohibit the sales of all Apple iOS cellular devices.

Once you permit the manufacturer to decipher the encryption, it is only a short distance for the hackers to be able to decipher it as well. A backdoor for the good guys is a backdoor for the bad guys too. . . usually about fifteen minutes later. Generally the bad guys don't even have to crack it. Bribes are faster and cheaper.

[Bobalu]

An offer of sorts was once made as a compromise.

What if we allow the government to restrict the use of hard encryption of such sophistication that it cannot possibly be broken... but the government allows the following.

All digital traffic will be encrypted at a level that the government can break with just modest effort... but with a key length sufficient that it renders it impossible to decrypt even a small fraction of all the digital traffic.

This allows for access to data necessary for national security but does not allow wholesale snooping.

The proposal was rejected very firmly!

Tells you a lot doesn’t it!

Our cell phone communications are virtually unprotected against nation-state level snooping because threats were made to weaken the security of the data. The criterion was that that data must be able to be decrypted in real-time...so the encryption had to be very weak.

[freedumb2003]

Apple is 100% correct on this issue.

[DB]

What I read was slightly different. I believe he proposed to fine Apple (or any other company) $1200 for each device sold that didn’t meet their backdoor requirements.

[freedumb2003]

>>Once you permit the manufacturer to decipher the encryption, it is only a short distance for the hackers to be able to decipher it as well. A backdoor for the good guys is a backdoor for the bad guys too. . . usually about fifteen minutes later. <<

That is why, if I bought a car with On*Star that I could not de-install, I would rip that SOB out of the car.

I prefer my 2001 car, whose extreme geek is a starter chip (and I look a bit askance at that).

All that tech just means someone can easily take control of your vehicle — to track or actually make it do things you don’t want.

[Aliska]

Starting to like this homo . . .lol.

Seems like every time I get mad at any particular group of people (for good reason I tell myself), one is placed in my face.

Like the Hispanic 20 something man who stopped his shovelling job to come help me get my car cleaned off when it got pretty icy. He mentioned if I was from here, yes, more or less always. Where were you from or born? Illinois lol. I got his card in case I need help again. I don't know how to handle if he has a green card or not. I know I wouldn't turn him in because he did a good deed for me, but if I were to hire him, I think I could get in trouble with the law.

BTW, did you know that if you hire someone to do odd jobs and pay them in cash which I do commonly for odd jobs, that if they are paid in one year $600 or over you have to 1099 them? I didn't but found out I did. And to add insult to injury, you have to PAY the IRS for the forms!

Maybe that was just my business interest. I'll have to find if it finds out to personal business like home repairs

As to the blanket head in Subway the other night, she seemed so self-assured, I got the impression that they think themselves superior to everyone. It was so subtle but so profound. Has to submit to her husband, but what I already said.

[Aliska]

Actually I got mixed up and this belongs on another thread about a different subject. But the two kind of intersected when you brought up the homo.

You wouldn't bake him a cake would you?

[Swordmaker]

What I read was slightly different. I believe he proposed to fine Apple (or any other company) $1200 for each device sold that didn't meet their backdoor requirements.

That is equivalent to a prohibition economically. They tax them out of existence. How does this accomplish what they want. The criminal who wants to hide his nefarious activities can still buy a very expensive device that is undecipherable which the law enforcement agencies and even the manufacturer could not break into. It merely costs him a lot more to safely be a criminal. How absurd.

[Swordmaker]

BTW, did you know that if you hire someone to do odd jobs and pay them in cash which I do commonly for odd jobs, that if they are paid in one year $600 or over you have to 1099 them? I didn't but found out I did. And to add insult to injury, you have to PAY the IRS for the forms!

No, the IRS forms are free. You got onto one of the Google top of the page sites that charge you for forms you can always get for free from IRS.gov for free. Be careful using Google. Some of the pay for form sites look almost exactly like IRS official web pages and you can only tell if you read the fine print at the bottom of the page. I almost got bitten by one the other day when I was attempting to get a new Employers Identification Number because my office was changing from a Partnership to a Corporation. That particular page only revealed itself when it wanted to CHARGE ME $99 for the application fee. . . when I knew it was FREE! I closed that page, went farther down the Google page until I found another one (took me four tries) and closely checked the URL to assure it said IRS.gov!

But, Aliska, all IRS forms, including the 1099s submission paperwork forms are free to download.

[DB]

I’m not arguing. Just adding a detail...

[DoughtyOne]

If you feel like it, join in the Free Republic Caucus (each day)

Thank you.

Be sure to read the rules and follow them so your candidate will benefit from you vote.

LINK

[DesertRhino]

Because its MORAL?
And I haven’t been an apple guy. but windows 10 and standing firm on encryption is luring me in and I think im on the verge.

[SpaceBar]

Apple doesn’t want to be a team player of Fascist Amerika.

[TEXOKIE]

bfl

[Swordmaker]

I’m not arguing. Just adding a detail...

Nor am I. . . just explaining for others who may not grasp the principle. I think you and I are on the same page. We understand how Liberal Pukes work.

[CurlyDave]

But, Aliska, all IRS forms, including the 1099s submission paperwork forms are free to download.

The red form which must be turned in to the IRS can be downloaded, but if you print it it is not acceptable to the IRS. The form sent to the IRS must be scannable, which the printed form isn't for some reason. There is a penalty for sending in a downloaded and printed form.