‘Absolutely Right’

Katie Benner and Matt Apuzzo, reporting for the NYT on whether the FBI’s request for Apple to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone will open the door to more such requests:

In a note posted to its website on Monday, Apple reiterated that the government’s request seems narrow but really isn’t. “Law enforcement agents around the country have already said they have hundreds of iPhones they want Apple to unlock if the F.B.I. wins this case,” the company said.

To that point, the New York City police commissioner, William J. Bratton, and the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., criticized Apple after it refused to comply with the court order and said that they currently possessed 175 iPhones that they could not unlock.

Charlie Rose recently interviewed Mr. Vance and asked if he would want access to all phones that were part of a criminal proceeding should the government prevail in the San Bernardino case.

Mr. Vance responded: “Absolutely right.”

★ Tuesday, 23 February 2016