Tech World Answers Apple Call To Arms

At the time of writing, more than 25 of the world’s major media organizations, civil liberties groups, and technology companies, have opted to follow Microsoft, and throw their hat in the ring to support Apple in its increasingly entrenched and bitter dispute with the US government.

The case centers around an iPhone connected to one of the attackers in last year’s San Bernadino terror attacks. Apple is currently refusing to comply with a court order that has required the company to create the decryption tool that would make it easier for the FBI to unlock an iPhone that was used in the December massacre.

At a congressional hearing last week, Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said  that the tech giant  “wholeheartedly” supported Apple’s in its adamant refusal to aid the FBI. Google CEO Sundar Pichai stated that US government demands were attempting to set a ‘troubling precedent.’

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But now other companies including Facebook, Amazon, and Twitter have sailed in behind Apple, answering their call for support in the ongoing legal battle while also appreciating the fact that the case could have serious ramifications for their own perceived stand on privacy, trust and security for their own users.

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Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO and founder of Facebook has also spoken up, declaring that he is sympathetic toward Apple, and also adding that he ‘ didn’t think requiring back doors into encryption is either going to be an effective way to increase security or is really the right thing to do.’

According to Recode.net, one anonymous source stated that:

“The industry is aligned and working on a joint submission to the court.” This could add increased pressure on the FBI and US government to rethink their course of action. Instead of being at the receiving end of many individual amicus brief, the tech world’s larger players appear to be consolidating their position to speak as one.