As you might have heard, both Apple and Google have revealed that they will enable encryption by default on your mobile devices. What this means is that neither company will know your phone’s passcode which also means that if the feds come knocking on Apple or Google’s door, they will not be able to provide them data about you, unless of course your data is stored in the cloud.
That’s great news for privacy advocates who might not have been happy about the government spying on them, but at the same time it seems that the FBI isn’t too pleased about it. Speaking at the FBI headquarters, the FBI’s Director James Comey expressed his concern about Apple and Google’s decision.
According to Comey, “I like and believe very much that we should have to obtain a warrant from an independent judge to be able to take the content of anyone’s closet or their smart phone. The notion that someone would market a closet that could never be opened — even if it involves a case involving a child kidnapper and a court order — to me does not make any sense.”
Of course this does not mean that law enforcement cannot get to your phone at all, especially if they were to go to you personally with a warrant/subpoena, but as far as remotely collecting information from the companies whose software you are using, it looks like the FBI are out of luck with Apple and Google.
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