Sundar Pichai backs Apple over unlocking terrorist's phone

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has backed Apple in its battle over opposing a US court’s ruling to unlock the iPhone of a terrorist who shot dead 14 people in California, saying enabling hacking could “compromise” user’s privacy.

Washington: Google CEO Sundar Pichai has backed Apple in its battle over opposing a US court’s ruling to unlock the iPhone of a terrorist who shot dead 14 people in California, saying enabling hacking could “compromise” user’s privacy.

Sundar Pichai

In a series of tweets, Pichai said although Google gives “law enforcement access to data based on valid legal orders”, but it is “wholly different than requiring companies to enable hacking of customer devices and data,” which could set a “troubling precendent”.

“Forcing companies to enable hacking could compromise user’s privacy,” the Indian-American CEO said as he supported Apple CEO Tim Cook’s stand.

“We build secure products to keep your information safe and we give law enforcement access to data based on valid legal orders. But that’s wholly different than requiring companies to enable hacking of customer devices and data. Could be a troubling precedent,” he said.

Apple, which is eyeing big on the Indian market, on Wednesday opposed a US court’s ruling to unlock the iPhone of San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook who shot dead 14 people and injured 22 others last December.

In an open letter to its customers, Cook said building a backdoor access to encrypted data on the iPhone of the gunman would be “too dangerous” to create.

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