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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsApple dropped plan for encrypting backups after FBI complained - sources
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) dropped plans to let iPhone users fully encrypt backups of their devices in the companys iCloud service after the FBI complained that the move would harm investigations, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The tech giants reversal, about two years ago, has not previously been reported. It shows how much Apple has been willing to help U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, despite taking a harder line in high-profile legal disputes with the government and casting itself as a defender of its customers information.
The long-running tug of war between investigators concerns about security and tech companies desire for user privacy moved back into the public spotlight last week, as U.S. Attorney General William Barr took the rare step of publicly calling on Apple to unlock two iPhones used by a Saudi Air Force officer who shot dead three Americans at a Pensacola, Florida naval base last month.
U.S. President Donald Trump piled on, accusing Apple on Twitter of refusing to unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers and other violent criminal elements. Republican and Democratic senators sounded a similar theme in a December hearing, threatening legislation against end-to-end encryption, citing unrecoverable evidence of crimes against children.
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-fbi-icloud-exclusive-idUSKBN1ZK1CT
dalton99a
(81,637 posts)TheBlackAdder
(28,230 posts).
If they did that, there might not have been any of those iCloud photo scandals and other data breaches.
.
C_U_L8R
(45,025 posts)LiberalArkie
(15,730 posts)by the authorities. If your backup is not iCloud, but to your personal computer, then the authorities can not access it without your permission. The backup via iTunes is encrypted if you select "encrypt backup" and set a password for it.
hlthe2b
(102,419 posts)Let them see your music, if you want to back that up in ICLOUD, but nothing personal--no contacts, photos, emails, documents.