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Report: Google, Twitter, Facebook, & Microsoft to file court motions officially supporting Apple in FBI fight

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Following Apple’s filling earlier today in which it formally responded to the FBI’s court request to access date on a locked iPhone, the Wall Street Journal now reports that Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter all plan to file court motions supporting Apple’s stance.

Since this news broke last week, both Google and Facebook have publicly offered their support to Tim Cook and Apple. Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai shared his opinions in a series of tweets, explaining that Apple’s case with the FBI could set a troubling precedent. Then, Android head Hiroshi Lockheimer gave an interview in which he also expressed his support for Apple, albeit somewhat vaguely. Lockheimer noted how this specific case opens up room for a lot more discussion on the matter of national security and user privacy.

Most recently, Mark Zuckerberg expressed his support for Apple while speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. “I don’t think building back doors is the way to go, so we’re pretty sympathetic to Tim and Apple,” Zuckerberg said.

Earlier today, Apple officially responded to the court following an order from last week to unlock an iPhone 5c used by the San Bernardino gunmen last December. As expected, Apple is working to vacate the order, explaining that unlocking an iPhone using a modified and insecure software version is not the way to go about the issue.

In addition to Facebook and Google formally planning to support Apple’s side in its fight with the FBI, the EFF, ACLU, and WhatsApp have all voiced their unequivocal agreement with Apple and come out in support of the company.

Apple’s battle with the FBI over national security versus user privacy began last week and has since become one of the biggest and most complex stories in tech and politics. You can view all of our extensive coverage at the links below:

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Comments

  1. srgmac - 8 years ago

    It’s about time. Took them long enough!

    • Edison Wrzosek - 8 years ago

      But surprise, surprise, Google’s response is lukewarm at best, with generalizations and and vague commentary… It’s funny, because if Apple ends up wining this and further hardening security in iOS, Android will be left in a far more embarrassing predicament than it is already with the lacklustre security, lack of default hardware encryption on devices, and a patch record more atrocious than Microsoft’s worst nightmare about Windows ever could be.

      • Smigit - 8 years ago

        It’s still early days though and the article notes formal support Is expected next week from Google and the other companies. While Sundar carries some weight with his input, having a court motion from the company itself will likely be far more useful than anything he could say himself, and they were probably waiting on Apples formal response before submitting anything.

        I’m sure Google will come to the table fairly strongly since this is as relevant to them if not more so with Android being used in many devices other than phones.

  2. William D - 8 years ago

    Well, it’ would be idiotic if they didn’t – i mean they could be next.. And reading through the Motion to Dismiss makes it patently clear what a pulava it is to make “GovtOS”

    • Doug Aalseth - 8 years ago

      GovtOS? If they get their way we could be looking at something like RedStarOS
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Star_OS

      • William D - 8 years ago

        This is what the security engineer in the Motion for Dismissal calls it. It’s near the end.

  3. Thomas Marble Peak - 8 years ago

    Thank you Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Microsoft!! #StandWithApple

    If you too would like to stand with Apple’s stance on privacy, then add your name to the petition (https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/apple-privacy-petition) to let the Administration know.

  4. This is great news, this is what we need to get the Government to wake up and smell the coffee. Thanks Google, Facebook and Twitter, and thanks Apple, for fighting for our rights.

  5. viciosodiego - 8 years ago

    This coming from 2 companies, “microsoft and Facebook” that are keen on collecting data from their respective users?
    Facebook is the worst offender so far.
    Oh, and isn’t microsoft NSA/FBI friendly?

    • Aunty T (@AuntyTroll) - 8 years ago

      Of course Apple don’t make any money at all from selling the demographic information they have collected on you to developers so that they can place targeted adverts in their apps do they.

      Take the blinkers off your eyes ffs – they ALL use your information to make money one way or the other – even Apple.

      • viciosodiego - 8 years ago

        Funny, google is the only one making money off iOS advertising, not apple.
        Also, apple makes most of its money off hardware, software, and services, not advertising.
        Now, if apple made money off advertising, all of their services would be free.
        try harder, troll.

    • Aunty T (@AuntyTroll) - 8 years ago

      Incidentally – Apple have helped the FBI on over 100 previous occasions so believe me, they are FBI friendly too

  6. viciosodiego - 8 years ago

    Google as well, although they use it to make money “google services don’t come free”..
    Also, google purposely keeps encryption disabled by default on 5.0 and 6.0, can confirm with LGv10, giving google access to “almost” every android phone in the world.
    Thats why I try and stay away from google as much as possible..

  7. crutchcameslinking - 8 years ago

    Oh no!
    Now Donald Trump might tell Americans to boycott all those other terrorist-supporting companies, too.

  8. acjeffers - 8 years ago

    How about yahoo? Haven’t heard much from them.

    • Robert Wilson - 8 years ago

      Yahoo who they?

      Seriously who even still uses yahoo?

    • Smigit - 8 years ago

      While it’d be nice, it’s not like Yahoo is overly relevant or carries much weight now days. I’d rather have companies like Samsung, HP, IBM, Intel and the like get on board, along with possibly some big names in non tech industries to help keep things balanced.

      • halrepublic - 8 years ago

        Agreed. Intel, IBM would be nice.

  9. Well Microsoft is going through a similar process winding through the courts.

  10. Lawrence Krupp - 8 years ago

    The more support for Apple the better.

  11. Larry Bruce - 8 years ago

    Couldn’t Apple produce a version of the OS which the lock bypass is linked to a specific hardware code on a specific phone, eg MAC or other manufacturing ID? So it will only allow multiple attempt on a specific phone? If this could be hacked away then the original lockout could be hacked away as well.

    Also the new OS could be loaded on a chip that must be physically installed on the phone for it to be worked, and kept in a safe somewhere.

    Also some sort of location validation could be put in so it only works at FBI headquarters no?

Author

Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to chance@9to5mac.com