Skip to main content

Apple working with DOJ to help fight ISIS messaging and propaganda on social media

Apple may be battling one branch of U.S. law enforcement on a terrorist-related issue, but CNN reports that the company is working closely with another on a broader fight against ISIS. Apple is one of six leading tech and media companies offering assistance to the Department of Justice in countering ISIS messaging and posts on social media.

At a meeting conducted at the Justice Department on Wednesday, executives from Apple, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, MTV and Buzzfeed offered their input to top counter intelligence officials, according to an industry source familiar with the meeting.

In all, nearly 50 companies and community groups participated, along with the National Security Council, the State Department and the British Embassy.

The issue is not just one of propaganda, said National Counterterrorism Center director Nick Rasmussen, but of directly encouraging acts of terrorism …

Rasmussen told the group the administration is making strides in combating ISIS on social media, where the terrorist army has inspired potential lone wolf assailants to carry out attacks.

Apple’s participation may help to cool suggestions that the company is helping “put people beyond the law.”

Tim Cook yesterday told ABC News that a master key into the iPhone would be “the software equivalent of cancer,” a description that will have particular resonance in a company whose co-founder died from pancreatic cancer.

Photo: AP Photo/Susan Walsh

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. PhilBoogie - 8 years ago

    In order to get a perspective on terrorist death toll, I came across this the other day:

    Neil DeGrasse Tyson tweets:
    @neiltyson
    1.4 Million: Americans who died in all Wars fought since 1776.
    1.4 Million: Americans who died via household Guns since 1968
    9:18 AM – 9 Nov 2015

    400,000: Americans who died fighting in World War II.
    400,000: Americans who died by household Firearms since 2001
    2:20 PM – 9 Nov 2015

    3,400: Americans who died by Terrorism since 2001
    ​3,400: Americans who died by household Firearms since five weeks ago.

    • Ron Cardi (@ROYG_B) - 8 years ago

      And therefore what? Let’s stop all efforts to combat terrorism?

      You might not realize it, but there are a lot of people who are employed solely to prevent and intercept potential acts of terrorism. But who knows, maybe there haven’t been many 9/11-styled attacks simply because there’s a shortage of airplanes and tall buildings here in the US.

    • Bad JuJu (@brijo00) - 8 years ago

      So I guess we only value American lives? So I guess if ISIS bombs a market in Baghdad we’re fine with it as long no Americans are killed. And then we wonder why the rest of the world calls us ignorant.

      • Jake Becker - 8 years ago

        Yeah, didn’t you know? Our flag thingy makes us better than other people’s flag thingy.

    • John Smith - 8 years ago

      In Syria – 150,00 dead, gay men thrown off high buildings, little girls taken as sex slaves, Christians and Shia mass executions for not being (the right kind of) Muslim.

      Meanwhile ISIS continue to recruit online.

      Obviously you are American so you only care about Americans – but other people have to look at the death toll with a less blinkered view.

      If Apple want to be less irresponsible on this one issue – great – but it’s too little too late when they are also busy obstructing law enforcement in much more important ways. I haven’t really heard that Apple have any part in this – facebook, twitter, telegram, google (for searches) etc come up more often – so just an empty gesture by Apple really.

  2. JBDragon - 8 years ago

    I don’t have a problem with Apple helping in this area. Social means it’s NOT private Data. I’m all for encrypted iMessages. That’s personal, One on One. Social like Twitter or Facebook or Web Based Messaging groups that are OPEN for all to see, no problem. Go ahead apple.

    Getting killed by a Terrorist is far less likely then getting stuck by lightning, at least in the U.S. In someplace like Syria the odds go up. Having back doors does what? Most of the time the Terrorist are using NO encryption. The bombings and killing still happen. Getting Data off a phone after the fact changes nothing. In the FBI case, the Terrorists are DEAD. There’s no court case to build against them. They in fact destroyed their own personal phones and HDD before they went on their shooting spree. This really has nothing to do about these Terrorists and all about getting backdoor’s into phones for the future to spy on Americans.

    The only ones with real Encryption are those Terrorists that care to use it. Just by a cheap Android phone and install any number of Encryption programs onto it that the U.S. Government can’t do anything about. No back doors.

    Guns are the Weapon of choice for Terrorists. Why are the Police and FBI and others using them? Why are so many willing to give up their rights for a false sense of security? That’s exactly what it is.

  3. John Smith - 8 years ago

    Apple attempting to rescue their tarnished reputation as the terrorists friend ?

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


Ben Lovejoy's favorite gear