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Google CEO Finally Chimes In On FBI Encryption Case, Says He Agrees With Apple (gizmodo.com)

An anonymous reader writes: After Tim Cook's eloquent letter explaining why Apple wouldn't help the FBI get encrypted data from the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone, the internet looked to Google to take a similar stand. Now Google CEO Sundar Pichai has posted five tweets that seem to show he agrees with Cook.
Edward Snowden had previously suggested that Google's silence meant Google had "picked a side, but it's not the public's."

27 of 255 comments (clear)

  1. Is he really agreeing? by rsborg · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm glad Sundar is agreeing this is an important issue... however, there are a lot of wiggle words in his phrasing.

    Forcing companies to enable hacking could compromise users’ privacy

    Is it too much to ask Google to simply come out in favor of privacy of its users?

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    1. Re:Is he really agreeing? by Soulskill · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Agreed. While it's nice to see him bring it up, it's definitely a weaker stance than Apple's. Pichai also says being required to enable hacking "Could be a troubling precedent." Well, yes. It would be nice if he (and CEOs of other major tech firms) stated specific opposition to it.

      Users understand that if a company is legally bound to compromise privacy to work with law enforcement, they're going to do it. Nobody at Apple is going to go to jail for obstruction of justice. But it counts for something when they say that's the only way they'll do it, and when they put up a fight in court.

    2. Re:Is he really agreeing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Is it too much to ask Google to simply come out in favor of privacy of its users?

      Yes. It runs counter to their business model. Google's business model is to have access to all of its product's (users) data in order to sell advertising space to its customers (advertisers). Privacy reduces Google's profits.

    3. Re:Is he really agreeing? by sinij · · Score: 5, Funny

      Google and privacy are not on speaking terms.

    4. Re:Is he really agreeing? by SJHillman · · Score: 4, Funny

      But Google is still reading Privacy's emails.

    5. Re:Is he really agreeing? by BoogieChile · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yeah! Don't give us that thoughtful, nuanced debate crap! We want flat-out binary statements, black and white bold, simplistic determinations, otherwise who are we going to know who to shake our pitchforks and flaming torchs at?

    6. Re:Is he really agreeing? by grim4593 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Any statement that Google wants to make will need to be proofread by multiple people and then vetted by lawyers, not just to ensure they don't overstep some legal bounds but also to make sure there wouldn't be anything in it that the shareholders could target later if there is some backlash.
      It would not surprise me if Apple had been developing their response in anticipation to the judges request for some time.

    7. Re:Is he really agreeing? by Shadow99_1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Well my parent's believe Apple are being a bunch of dicks about this and should just comply. I doubt they are the only ones. While you and me may believe privacy is worth fighting for I bet most companies would rather get a good feeling for the general consensus first. From a pure 'business' perspective that's the right thing to do when not specifically on the spot like Apple is.

      Apple had no good option to go with, spend lots of time and effort trying to make it possible with no return or make this a public case of privacy for their users and the government is 'bad'. Looking at those of course they go 'User Privacy!' as a rallying cry. You need to remember while peopel may run then, a company is a collective entity that is entirely selfish.

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    8. Re:Is he really agreeing? by tlhIngan · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well my parent's believe Apple are being a bunch of dicks about this and should just comply. I doubt they are the only ones. While you and me may believe privacy is worth fighting for I bet most companies would rather get a good feeling for the general consensus first. From a pure 'business' perspective that's the right thing to do when not specifically on the spot like Apple is.

      Apple had no good option to go with, spend lots of time and effort trying to make it possible with no return or make this a public case of privacy for their users and the government is 'bad'. Looking at those of course they go 'User Privacy!' as a rallying cry. You need to remember while peopel may run then, a company is a collective entity that is entirely selfish.

      To which you point out to your parents Tim Cook's letter, which is linked off the front page of apple.com. In it he details why he's making the stand, and even more importantly, why he's "being a dick". He even addresses terrorism itself. It's a very insightful and thoughtful message that explains why Apple does not want to roll over and be the FBI's pet. And he even details why encryption is not just optional on a smartphone, but mandatory. And heck, Apple did give up the data they could - the iCloud backups, which were obtained legally by a warrant.

      As for the "user privacy" stance - after the Snowden revelations, it's the only stance Apple can take. It's also beneficial, since it's the stance Apple can take to differentiate their products from their competitors.

      But think of it this way - if they didn't care, why did they go through all the trouble of the secure enclave? And to make it an extremely paranoid one at that - giving it the ultimate power to wipe the phone if attacked? (Error 53 is such an attack - perhaps a modified fingerprint sensor is trying to find a way to break the secure enclave code and allow it to run arbitrary code, allowing full access to the system without the system knowing. The secure enclave is paranoid as it should be). It's why later phones rely on it to do the 10 authentication attempts and wipe, and why the enclave enforces the delays between attempts.

      If anything, this issue should go to the Supreme Court to be decided there, putting to rest all those legislation trying to put backdoors in encryption products and other things.

      And yes, there is a chilling effect - it spreads wider than just Apple, but to everyone. Not just iOS, or Android, or Blackberry, but to the very foundations of what the Internet provides. Because it's not just encryption, but efforts like HTTPS Everywhere, Lets Encrypt and other services,

    9. Re:Is he really agreeing? by phantomfive · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Is it too much to ask Google to simply come out in favor of privacy of its users?

      Probably, considering that violating privacy is their primary source of income. Eric Schmidt actually came out against privacy.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    10. Re:Is he really agreeing? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's because Google isn't currently fighting in court with the FBI. I'm sure his lawyers have told him to phrase it that way, in case Apple loses and Google is next. No point giving the FBI ammunition to use in future legal arguments.

      In any case, Google is in a stronger position than Apple because its secure storage on its Nexus devices has firmware in ROM. It can't be modified or updated like Apple's, so there is no way they could introduce a back door or remove protections like rate limiting or a maximum number of incorrect guesses. It's in the silicon, so the FBI's current argument won't work.

      --
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    11. Re:Is he really agreeing? by cayenne8 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That and dodging tax.

      When you say "dodging"..that implies something illegal.

      As far as I can tell, everything they, as well as any other responsible company does, is perfectly legal. It would not make sense for a company to not take full advantage of the current tax laws.

      Do you yourself not take every deduction you can? Do you voluntarily pay more in tax that you really need to?

      If you don't like the tax loopholes, have your congress-critters change the laws. Hell, make it really easy and transparent.

      You made $x...you pay $y.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  2. Re:Google copies Apple ... by perpenso · · Score: 4, Funny

    Google copies Apple, what a surprise :-)

    And as usual they don't get it quite right.

  3. On the surface by thoughtlover · · Score: 4

    This announcement, while still unofficial as a company policy, is moving the conversation in the right direction, but if the government wants to do something, they'll do it... I can see all cockamamie reasons, such as 'aiding and abetting criminal activity.'

    I'd be the first to get a Blackphone (maybe roll-your-own-Android, if possible) if Apple caves-in regarding government-mandated backdoors. Personally, I just don't see how removing encryption from public-use would ever work. If there's ever a case where I'd rather sacrifice some convenience for security, this is it... even if it means giving up smartphones.

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  4. Re:It's all well and good... by whipslash · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's a question of honoring privacy rights in general, not a specific person's

  5. Re:Apple Unlocked iPhones for Feds 70 Times Before by whipslash · · Score: 5, Informative

    True but this case related to iOS 8. Previous iOS versions were not as secure

  6. Re:Rulers of corporations... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Informative

    I get that you're trolling, but I just came in from walking the dog and was listening to some Right Wing talk radio in between periods of the Blackhawks-Rangers game. All the Right-Wing jackoffs are going on about how Tim Cook should be jailed for contempt or treason or something or other and how a corporation giving up encryption keys and backdoors is the same as if the local cops come to your door with a warrant and we should trust the NSA and FBI and all the three-letter agencies to make sure it's only the information on one phone that is decrypted.

    It just shows they don't mean a bit of it when they say how they hate Big Government. They just want Big Government on their own terms.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  7. Re:It's all well and good... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This opinion is all great until someone hurts someone in your family. Then lets see how much you want to honor their privacy...

    Oh, that's such happy horseshit. The government already has all the evidence they need in this San Bernadino case. They're trying to get their hands on a technology and set a precedent. Fuck them.

    --
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  8. Re:It's all well and good... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Informative

    Hey whipslash, on a side note...

    I agree with you here, but even if I didn't - I'd like to say I find it refreshing that you're taking the time to participate in the discussions here on Slashdot. It shows that you're invested in this site in more ways than just financially, and I appreciate it!

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  9. Satya... by ZeroSerenity · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You're up.

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  10. Re:Rulers of corporations... by Motherfucking+Shit · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Want to see smoke come out of someone's ears? Ask one of the Tim-Cook-is-a-traitor, we-can-trust-the-government crowd why the FBI shouldn't break into the gun store owner's phone, where the San Bernardino shooters bought some of their firearms and brass, just to make sure nothing hinky is going on with him or his shop. You can watch the disconnect happen in their brain. "BUT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT..." Exactly! "AND IT WOULDN'T HELP THE CASE..." Exactly!

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  11. this isn't a backdoor as such.. by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Informative

    this one case is a bit more tricky, since the fbi can reasonably say that apple can do what they want and it's not even that expensive. anyone with apples toolset and more importantly the signing key can do what fbi is requesting. fundamentally it's not even about 'creating' such a tool and that it would open a can of worms. it wouldn't. if something that could be created in half a day by altering a few lines would be a can of worms then it would already be a can of worms. on iphone 5C. those few lines would be the line where is the check for ten tries and the amount of delay introduced between tries. that would be enough to brute force it with a robot finger. another few hours would have the sw just brute force through all combinations on the phone itself - at just a rate of 1 per second it would be just few hours and since you can query the cpu/soc multiple times per second if the given pin is correct then if it's a 4 number pin it would take only something along the lines of half an hour, 5 number one would be still under half a day and six not too much long either. the part on the cpu on 5C that coughs up the code does not have extra protections or limits or any of that fancy stuff that 5S would do.

    because it's an iphone 5C and apple _CAN_ write firmware for it and load it on the phone to brute force the correct pin on the cpu to make the cpu cough up the encryption key this is not quite how apple spins it up. but apple doesn't want to admit(nor is it denying) that it can write the requested software - it's trying to argue that it doesn't have to, I guess in order to fight off further requests to modify firmwares that actually are delivered to consumer phones, which would need backdoors installed before hand.

    on iphone 5S and onwards it would not be possible. but try explaining this to a normal journalist. if apple opens it, they think that iphones all can be opened in same way - and apple has been publicly saying that they can't open them, (which is true for newer iphones than the 5C). suppose they do open it for them? what then? lawsuits from 5C owners who could arguably argue that they were mislead with marketing about the capabilities of their phone.

    so, on 5C the encryption key is on the cpu and can be queried multiple times per second with the right firmware and the right firmware can be loaded on boot from usb if you have apples signing keys(or if you can break the bootloader, I suppose). that is, on an iphone 5C the penalty wipe for guessing more than 10 times is performed in firmware loaded software and can be trivially circumvented if you have firmware source code and signing key. apple doesn't deny or admit this due to marketing and that it would confuse the hell out of people who don't understand the difference between 5c and 5s.

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  12. Re:Not in China by LordLucless · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm no Apple supporter, but your comparison is (heh) apples-and-oranges. In the US, it's refusing to alter its software to allow the FBI to access private data. In China, it's allowing the government to perform a security audit of its source code - you know, just like every open source project on the planet implicitly allows China to do.

    I mean, by that standard, Linux is co-operating with Chinese attempts to violate the privacy of its users, because it publishes its source code for the government to audit (if they feel like it), too. And honestly, with this admission about the FBI coming into the open, it just goes to show how justified other governments are in demanding to examine US products for signs of government malfeasance.

    --
    Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
  13. "Finally" Chimes in? by Dahamma · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Biased much against Google?

    Cook posted a letter yesterday, Pichai responded today. OH MY GOOD HOW COULD IT TAKE SO LONG!?

  14. Re:It's all well and good... by BadDreamer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If someone in my family gets hurt, I will want vengeance and retribution. I want the guilty to suffer. Death is too kind, I want to see prolonged torture, and I want to take part in it myself.

    Which is why the laws are the way they are. People who are hurt generally want vengeance, not justice. That doesn't mean that it's right to give them that, or that giving them that will make society better. In fact, it will make society worse.

    Just like in this case.

  15. Re:Google copies Apple ... by Phreakiture · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sure. They forgot to make it impossible to change the battery, expand the storage, etc.

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  16. Re:Rulers of corporations... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    but if you think this is a 'republican' thing or 'right wing' thing,

    Of course not, but since the Republicans on the Right are crowing about how they're the party of "small government", the hypocrisy is especially galling with them.

    If someone comes out and says that they want bigger government, and mean it, I can deal with that and make an informed decision. If someone comes out and claims to want to have government small enough to drown in a bathtub and at the same time approves of ubiquitous surveillance, infinite military spending, militarized police departments, laws covering women's reproductive organs, the death penalty and the prison-industrial complex, then they're not only complicit in evil but they're bullshitting about it.

    Now, have we cleared that up?

    --
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