Good Apple Or Bad Apple?

BY BRIAN LUU

Recently, the FBI asked Apple to unlock an iPhone that belonged to Syed Farook, one of the attackers in the San Bernardino attack in late 2015. Apple refused to unlock the iPhone, as it required them to break their promise of security to their customers.

The question is, is Apple making the right decision to refuse the FBI’s demands?

I believe that Apple is making the right decision. Dismissing the FBI’s demands was a great way of showing their customers that they promise to keep their private information private. By creating a way to decrypt the security of a single iPhone, they’re creating a way for other hackers to steal information from anybody with an iPhone. If there is any security flaw to this decryption, hackers will find it and exploit it. The attacker’s iPhone isn’t the only phone that will have private information taken from it.

By unlocking the attacker’s iPhone, important and dangerous information will be obtained, but it is at the cost of customer information such as home addresses, phone numbers, and bank account information. Hackers can use this information to manipulate iPhone users to do things they would otherwise never do. Threats may be made by terrorists, but hackers will start making threats that nobody would know about. Terrorists might make their threats public to scare their enemies, but hackers will keep their operations unknown. Apple customers would be controlled without any way to stop it.  

Although Apple has made a good decision, there are benefits that come from unlocking the iPhone. Unlocking the iPhone would allow the FBI and the government to gain potentially useful information about terrorist attacks. If Apple finds a way to have absolutely no security flaw, then it should be perfectly fine to unlock a single iPhone, especially if it has dangerous information. If the FBI needs another iPhone unlocked for important information, they’ll know who to go to.

Ultimately, Apple made the right decision to not help the FBI unlock the iPhone. Apple promised their customers that they would do everything in their power to keep their private information safe and that is exactly what they are doing.  

Apples Don’t Hurt, Bullets Do

BY GABRIEL ALVARADO

Recently, Apple has been under heavy fire from many directions. One of those directions would be the buyers of their products, and the others the FBI. Whenever the FBI gets involved, everyone knows something has to be serious; this is exactly what the situation is. The FBI and many other local police departments weigh on the decision of Apple. Granted authorities may not be in the hot seat, it is understandable why Apple is. To risk everything their organization has for the help of a an agency is a lot. 

This debate is gaining tension and supporters on both sides. Some argue that Apple helping to unlock and hack a phone could ruin everyone who has an iPhone. This would only bring the organization down and put it into a gigantic hole. In a way, it is understandable that Apple is hesitant to aid the government with all of the potential security risks and hazards, but ultimately hacking this phone and many other phones that were involved in a crime would be a major plus. With the ability to hack the phone and all the others, any criminals or rapists would surely eventually get caught and enough sufficient evidence could be used to finally put the violators behind bars.

So many criminals are loose and living lavishly due to police not having enough evidence to book them, but with authorities having access to a criminal’s phone, anything could happen. People associated with the crime could be booked and most of all questions would be answered. I completely understand why Apple is making the move they are, but by them doing so, many families could never get the justice they seek or answers they need. If Apple complies and finds the best way to make sure their own software stays as safe as possible, then it would be a win-win.

Apple is currently in a very bad situation. However, by taking a chance and making sure any phone recovered from a criminal can be utilized to help prevent and and put someone behind bars would be great. Apple could get hacked any day or anytime, so they might as well take a chance and help the authorities. If technology can go from flip to touch, then Apple could easily rebuild and adapt to make sure their products remain completely safe. I’d rather see someone get put behind bars and families have their questions answered then not doing anything at all. If that was my family, I would for sure want something to be done; anyone would, so put yourself in the family’s shoes and consider how far you would go to get justice.