The White House Backs Down On Phone Encryption

[Megalith]

The White House is backing away from legislation that would allow agencies access to encrypted information—officially, at least.

The decision comes after a year after encryption introduced on iPhones and some Android phones sparked a debate between law enforcement and tech companies over access to phone data. With iOS 8, most data stored on the phone and communications over services like iMessage were encrypted in a way that only users could access it — not even Apple could.

 

[Jim Kim]

Obama is backing away from legislation that would allow agencies access to encrypted information—officially, at least.

Not hopping on the I believe train just yet.

 

[Pure-Platinum-190]

A higher level of security is why I'd like to switch to an iPhone. The only reason actually.

Intelligence agencies and law enforcement will now be reliant on work arounds for encryption. They can seek data backed up to the cloud or unencrypted forms of communication through service providers, such as records of phone calls. They can also attempt to compel phone owners to turn over their passcodes.

Compel how?

 

[Spidey329]

A higher level of security is why I'd like to switch to an iPhone. The only reason actually.

Compel how?

Subpoena / court order. It'll require them to actually utilize the legal system properly and not try to cheat it. So naturally, they'll fight it as much as possible.

You don't have to supply evidence against yourself via testimony, but a search warrant is valid. The legal gray area is whether supplying a pass code (whether to a phone encryption or physical safe) could be considered protected by the 5th.

 

[nilepez]

Subpoena / court order. It'll require them to actually utilize the legal system properly and not try to cheat it. So naturally, they'll fight it as much as possible.

You don't have to supply evidence against yourself via testimony, but a search warrant is valid. The legal gray area is whether supplying a pass code (whether to a phone encryption or physical safe) could be considered protected by the 5th.

Pretty sure it's already been tried and they cannot force you to unlock a device or decrypt a hard drive. They can put your finger on a biometric reader and if that unlocks it, it's all good.

If you've set your phone up correctly, after enough incorrect attempts it'll wipe the phone (at least that's how the iPhone works).

 

[Brahmzy]

The only reason actually.

Just one of many reasons

 

[Lith1um]

The government plays this game all the time. They'd rather operate in a gray area which allows them sufficient latitude to achieve their goals, rather than risk being directly limited by a new law, a Supreme Court decision, or any other new legal precedent. I'm thinking that they knew they'd loose this fight in the long run.