The FBI has approached Apple to retrieve information from a terrorist’s iPhone.  The FBI submitted a request to the classified court that handles security related matters, and received a warrant to request that Apple assist in recovering information. Simple idea, eh?

Apple is attempting to take the high road, and blasting out that the US government is attempting to force them to insert a “backdoor” into the iOS software to allow the government unlimited access.  Apple says that’s a violation of privacy for Apple and its users. Apple vehemently, through Tim Cook, defended its rejection of the government’s attempt.

Problem is, Apple, knowingly, lied about what the government wanted, and also about what it can do.  Tim Cook knows that the FBI only requested either that Apple unlock the terrorist’s phone, or that Apple retrieve and turn the data over to the FBI.  Apple has the capability, and to say it doesn’t, especially considering the many users they’ve done this for, is an outright falsehood.  Apple has, over the last few years, through their Apple stores, unlocked and/or retrieved data from iPhones and iPads of all types. Tim Cook knows that the FBI is only interested in the data, and not in any “backdoors” to be able to access Apple phones and tablets and computers in the future.

Apple, and Tim Cook, are leading a campaign of deception, both against the users of its computers and phones, and against the US government.  I believe that Apple should be bought up on charges of obstruction of justice, perverting the course of justice, and impeding the course of a federal investigation, in an effort to increase its market share and drive up its profits.  Apple has the capability, and no one can deny this, to retrieve the information.  Apple and Tim Cook are attempting to use this request to pretend it has the high ground in privacy.  The reality is that Apple has the capability, and it states this information in its User Agreements and EULAs, to retrieve the information if requested by proper authorities.  And this was a request by proper authorities.  For reasons known only to Tim Cook, Apple has decided to take this public, attempting to model themselves as savior of the public interest.  Apple has never, under Jobs or Cook, been a savior of the common man.  Apple has always been an elitist organization.

Apple should do the right thing, even if it’s the hard thing for Apple and Tim Cook.  Working with and supporting the FBI can only serve to gender support for Apple in the US government, and conversely, snubbing the FBI and pretending to be something that Apple is not, will only serve to condemn Apple as another elitist system that believes in one law for the  common man, and another for itself.

“We Should All Stand Together, Or Most Assuredly, We Shall All Swing Separate…”