Albright reacts to Apple vs FBI case

By Nicole Forktus

An iPhone5 with a Wells Fargo banking app. displayed on the home screen. This app. demonstrates the private content  stored one an individual's cell phone. Picture taken on April  26, 2016 by Nicole Forktus. 

      The digitization of American society has led individuals to become increasingly more dependent on smartphone technology. From the ability to access online banking, to using an online planner, smartphones now store very personal information.

On Feb. 16, 2016, the FBI asked Apple to develop a new software that would allow them to break into the iPhone of Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the two shooters involved in the San Bernardino attack in December that resulted in 14 deaths and 22 injuries. Apple failed to comply due to the company’s belief that this action would threaten the security of other iPhone and Apple users. Shortly after, the FBI issued a court order to get Apple to produce the new software, which has since triggered controversy and conflict amongst both companies.

For Digital Media Professor Heidi Mau, this case proved to be especially interesting because of her close relationship with technology. According to Mau, the privacy rights of American citizens have long been violated. “We have turned over a lot of the development of our technology to corporations and to companies, and we are seeing now kind of the head to head of what we need to make decisions about as a culture versus privacy and security.”

Recently, the FBI announced that they were able to access Farook’s iPhone without Apple’s assistance. Although the case was officially dropped, Mau’s digital literacy class continues to discuss the case due to student interest. “The students in the course have overwhelming been in support of Apple. They really want their privacy protected, not that they don’t want help from the FBI and finding information that’s needed, they certainly feel that there is a need for that, but I think from looking at the study of how much we give up already digitally as citizens, I think they are finally putting a line in the sand,” said Mau.

Mau’s students are not the only college-aged individuals who feel that their privacy rights have been encroached on by the government. David Zuniga, a junior finance major, shares similar views. “My whole life is on my phone. Not only do I use the basic features such as the calendar and alarm clock, but my banking and credit card information is stored on it as well. Knowing that the government could potentially have access to some of this information is not a comforting feeling,” said Zuniga.

Almost immediately following the FBI’s initial request to have Apple develop the new software, Apple issued a letter to customers justifying their reasons for not assisting the FBI. According to senior David Tupas, a computer science major and IT technician, Apple has handled the situation appropriately. “You know, I work very closely with technology on a daily basis and a lot of the products that I work on are Apple. Over the years, I have watched Apple become this very successful company, and I believe that the letter they wrote to their costumers, which directly states their viewpoint, will help ensure their credibility,” said Tupas.

Despite his own support to Apple, Tupas admitted that the FBI’s intentions were good. He stated, “I can understand where [the FBI] are coming from, which further adds to the overall complexity of this issue. As much as I want the FBI to get into the shooter’s phone, I don’t want to have to give up my privacy rights to the government.”

However, not everyone is in favor of Apple. Tracy Snyder, a sophomore sociology major, explained that her own paranoia outweighs her desire for privacy. “Maybe it is because I am naturally anxious person, but knowing what kind of information was on Farook’s phone would make me feel more secure. I trust the FBI,” said Snyder.  

On April 25, 2016, 40 Albright College students between the ages of 18-22 were asked who they supported in the Apple vs FBI case. Twenty-six supported Apple, 11 supported the FBI, and three were undecided. Survey and graph conducted by Nicole Forktus.

According to Snyder, America has increasingly become an even larger target for terrorism. She stated, “I feel that I am growing up in such an unsafe world. You have incidents like 9/11 and the Boston Marathon bombing and it really makes one question the security of the country. If the FBI decrypted the iPhone it could shed light to why the [San Bernardino attack] occurred, which could help the FBI improve the security of the United States.”

For now, Snyder’s desire to understand the motive of the attack will remain unanswered. Recently, it was announced that the FBI paid an estimate of $1.3 million to have an outside source hack into Farook’s iPhone. However, according to the FBI, the phone did not yield any useful information.