In recent months, tension has risen between Apple and the U.S. government. That tension didn’t exactly disappear during the White House’s “cyber summit” on Stanford’s campus in Palo Alto, as Apple CEO Tim Cook reaffirmed his company’s decision to add encryption to iOS, reported Fusion.
“We believe deeply that everyone has a right to privacy and security,” said Cook. “So much of our information now is digital: photos, medical information, financial transactions, our most private conversations. It comes with great benefits; it makes our lives better, easier and healthier. But at Apple, we have always known this also comes with a great responsibility. Hackers are doing everything they can to steal your data, so we’re using every tool at our disposal to build the most secure devices that we can.”
Ever since its decision to no longer decrypt iPhones for law enforcement, Apple has faced criticism from the FBI and, oddly enough, the NYPD, with both agencies arguing encryption hinders their investigations. During his 10-minute talk, Cook said Apple has no intention of preventing customers from encrypting its devices.
“People have trusted us with their most personal and private information and we must give them the best technology we can to secure it,” said Cook. “Sacrificing our right to privacy can have dire consequences. We live in a world where people are not treated equally.”
“There are people who don’t feel free to practice their religion, express their opinion or love who they choose. Technology can mean the difference between life and death,” he added.
Google finds itself in a similar predicament, since its latest Android release, Android 5.0 Lollipop, is also automatically encrypted. Android 4.4 KitKat, meanwhile, gave users the option of encrypting their devices.
