ACLU SoCal Statement on FBI Effort to Force Apple to Unlock iPhone

Please attribute the following statement to Hector Villagra, executive director of the ACLU of Southern California (ACLU SoCal):

The shootings in San Bernardino that left 14 people dead were horrific, and the government should investigate them thoroughly. The inquiry, however, must not undercut the privacy and security of all Americans. The government has asked Apple to create a backdoor to encrypted information on iPhones – something the FBI has talked about but Congress has yet to approve. If the U.S. can force Apple to break its own security measures for this investigation, nothing stops it from ordering the same tool be used to prosecute other crimes.
Nothing stops repressive nations from doing the same for investigations into their political critics. And once Apple creates a tool to defeat its own security measures, there is real risk that the tool could be obtained and used by others seeking access to users' sensitive data. The security of data and safety of users everywhere aren't worth sacrificing to follow a possible lead in any one case, no matter how important.

Contact: Sandra Hernandez, 213.977.5247 shernandez@aclusocal.org