Justice Department Wants Apple's Help Unlock 12 More iPhones

Earlier Creditek Posted  Apple CEO defies US court order to unlock iPhone 

Just One Device? No, Government wants Apple to Unlock 12 More iPhones

 Now Creditek  Posting One More Interest post i.e.,

Justice Department seeks to force Apple to unlock 12 more iPhones

Apple is fighting against a court order to unlock one iPhone for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). But according to the Wall Street Journal, the Department of Justice is currently pursuing court orders to force Apple Inc. excerpt data from “about a dozen” iPhones around the country. 

It appears that when Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, announced that the Federal Government wanted Apple's help to design software that would compromise the security of all iPhones, he wasn't lying. According to Business Insider, the Feds want Apple to hep them crack phones involved in at least a dozen other cases. 

 Originally the FBI asked Apple to assist them in unlocking the phone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters. Apple states that they complied within their means, but when they were asked to create iOS software that could bypass the phone's security, they backed off. Despite being ordered by a judge, Apple refused to create this software, in fear of it getting into the wrong hands and compromising the security of all iPhone users. 

The justice department now wants Apple to aide in cracking phones involved in at least a dozen other cases. Apple is still refusing to threaten the security of their customers. 

Many people have mixed beliefs on this matter. A survey conducted revealed that over half of the participants believe that Apple should assist the government in hacking the San Bernardino shooters' phone, despite the risks involved. 

However, “in most cases, rather than challenge the orders in court, Apple simply deferred complying with them, without seeking appropriate judicial relief,” the prosecutors said.

For years, Apple has abided with these orders, say prosecutors. However, in late 2015, the company decided to step up its position on privacy and protecting user data, and began asserting that it should not be compelled to obey such government requests.

Apple has received overwhelming support from the vast majority of its users and peers in the technology industry, including Google, Facebook, and Twitter. In his interview to Bloomberg, Bill Gates too said that he does not back the FBI’s side of this particular case, and that the matter should be decided by the courts

Bill Gates wants Apple to Help the FBI

"Nobody's talking about a backdoor," Gates told Financial Times. "This is a specific case where the government is asking for access to information. They are not asking for some general thing, they are asking for a particular case."