That question is asked more often these days because the ability exists for law enforcement to have access to your private information without your permission. Big companies such as Apple and Google are fighting such requests on behalf of consumers, however, that is often not enough.
For instance, in one of the latest updates by Apple, your information became more safe, hence more difficult for law enforcement to obtain. But, law enforcement is now gaining new tools as the tech wars continue.
GrayKey is a tool that circumvents iPhone passwords and encryption and is now available, as Indiana State Police have discovered. They have successfully plugged in to dozens of iPhones in their possession by using the tool. This allows police departments to collect information on cases for iPhones already in their possession.
But what if police happen to have an iPhone in its possession because the owner of that phone had it stolen? That happens, but it does not protect the victim’s information should the stolen phone be unlocked.
It is now a conundrum that we face as consumers who depend on technology for most everything we do these days. From bill paying to letters we no longer send by snail mail – our information is now out there for anyone to access.
Most tech companies are encrypting your data now, which means that while law enforcement may be able to get the data, they cannot always read it.
The government always want to exploit a new technology to their advantage, the question remains – should there be any limits on that?
The Department of Justice has renewed a call for what is known as “backdoor access” that would allow law enforcement to access encrypted communications or data. This, of course, will only create a whole new set of problems.
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