> I don't think we would live in a forced back door world for too long. After another 2, 4, or 8 years, we will eventually realize that giving the government a back door to the iPhone did not give it a back door to the myriad of other encrypted communications tools out there. Terrorists will find other ways to hide their communications.
So you really think the government will have gathered all that power, only to readily hand it back?
Well, eventually people will realize they can just download an encrypted communications tool right?
I'm not 100% sure about what happens after 2/4/8 years. That scenario also relies on a really informed public to fight back and care.
This is why I and a few other engineers are forming a grassroots campaign to support encryption. If you'd like to get involved, send me an email at stillastudent on google's email service
Sure, they can, but this entire case is about precedent. If Apple can't win this kind of fight, what do you think will happen to the developers of those encrypted communications tools; or encryption products across the board.
Remember Truecrypt, Hushmail, Lavabit, etc? Too small to fight back.
That's why so much rests in the outcome of the fight with Apple.
Ah, but once encryption is outlawed, only outlaws will have encryption. At which point anyone sending or receiving encrypted data that the feds can't decrypt is automatically guilty of a crime, and should be apprehended.
Of course, if you have nothing to hide from your friendly government agency, you have nothing to fear!
So you really think the government will have gathered all that power, only to readily hand it back?