New encryption technology by tech companies would place data on phones and other devices out of law enforcement’s reach. That could backfire on citizens who want justice, warned FBI Director James Comey yesterday. Comey said that the government’s “legal authority to intercept and access communications from information pursuant to court order” is compromised by encryption technology.
Besides the fact that it’s disturbing to think that the FBI can’t penetrate Apple’s security as easily as hackers wanting nude celebrity photos can, Comey’s point is that privacy can actually go too far. If it foils the FBI and other law enforcement from acting legally to obtain information that can help save lives and prosecute crimes, it might do more harm than good.
