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Video: John Oliver comically summarizes the Apple/FBI iPhone encryption backdoor debate, featuring mock Apple ad [NSFW]

Screen Shot 2016-03-14 at 11.07.15

The Apple/FBI iPhone encryption backdoor debate continues to ramp up, with an FBI filing late last week causing Apple SVP Bruce Sewell to describe the case as a smear campaign against the company. Apple and the FBI take the battle to the courts officially on March 22nd, the day after Apple’s spring media event.

Although the topic at hand is clearly important, where the government is asking Apple to make software to undermine the security of iPhones, the bureaucracy of court proceedings can make the (continuing) story pretty stale and laborious. In a Last Week Tonight segment, comedian Jon Oliver humorously presents the opposing arguments without losing the underlying factual basis.

Watch the video after the break …

Oliver finds some hilarious quotes from government officials and FBI to intersperse between the show, including Donald Trump’s fantastic ‘iPhone boycott’ quote and District Attorney Daniel Conley’s example of something American’s once thought impossible: ‘Kennedy said we cannot go to the moon. We are going to get there in the next decade’.

In return, Oliver quips by citing Matt Blaze, computer scientist: ‘When I hear the if we can put a man on the moon we can do this, I’m hearing an analogy almost as if we are saying if we can put a man on the moon, well surely we can put a man on the Sun’.

Throughout the segment, Oliver raises news stories that we have been extensively covered in the past including the example that Manhattan attorney has 175 locked iPhones in the wings, Tim Cook saying that the tool is the software equivalent of cancer, and many clips from the recent congressional hearing on encryption. The segment concludes with a mock Apple ad, which portrays some succinct arguments that — although Oliver sides with the company on encryption overall — Apple is not entirely innocent on this case.

Court proceedings officially commence on March 22nd, where Apple and FBI lawyers will meet in court to discuss the specifics of the San Bernardino iPhone case in front of a judge. Whatever the ruled outcome, the decision is likely to be appealed with a strong likelihood the case will eventually escalate to the Supreme Court.

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Comments

  1. PhilBoogie - 8 years ago

    Gotta love Lindsey Graham¡

  2. Robert - 8 years ago

    The best piece written on this issue is by veteran cryptographer Steven Levy. The government and the tech industry already fought this war in the 1990’s!

    https://backchannel.com/why-are-we-fighting-the-crypto-wars-again-b5310a423295#.qh4sy85jq

  3. Graham J - 8 years ago

    Recommend this Techpinions piece on the matter: https://techpinions.com/the-fbi-v-apple-flowchart/43991

  4. Lautner93 (@Lautner93_) - 8 years ago

    Well.. i enjoyed the video

  5. Rich Davis (@RichDavis9) - 8 years ago

    How much information is actually on the phone to go after these criminals? Probably not much. They can already get SMS text messages, call logs, etc. from the cell phone service provider without getting into the phone.

    • just-a-random-dude - 8 years ago

      Keep in mind that the dead terrorist in this specific CA case destroyed his own personal phone that most likely had any relevant info. He would’ve done the same thing to iPhone if it had anything useful.

      • just-a-random-dude - 8 years ago

        Also, iMessages are encrypted end to end, it wouldn’t show up in the same records from the cell phone service.

  6. Cameron Hood - 8 years ago

    Fabulous and the truth as always. Bernie should get John Oliver for vice president.

  7. Thomas Marble Peak - 8 years ago

    Join me in encouraging all companies to improve security and in signing the petition at http://1.usa.gov/1R9A4cM

  8. Dan (@danmdan) - 8 years ago

    Alas video “not available” in UK ! Why not – don’t we get to see this ?

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.