The Manhattan District Attorney's office files a report stating that phone privacy should be minimized in order to defeat terrorism. As stated in the report filed by the top prosecutor in New York, the privacy tools being used today do not only protect the users but also the criminals.
The report filed by the Attorney's office is addressed to tech companies like Google and Apple which use sophisticated privacy tools. For the past year, law enforcers are unable to search iPhones for evidences despite the presence of search warrants approved by the court.
Attorney Cyrus Vance of Manhattan District noted the disadvantage of the said tools installed in iPhones and other smartphones.
"Every time a tip leads to a phone... it may go cold," Vance said.
The report is aimed to address the biggest problem being faced by law enforcement today. The Manhattan District Attorney's office seeks to aid the police in catching the terrorists by cracking their encrypted communications.
However, this has become very difficult for them since encryption is accessible to any individual with its cheap technology. This security tool is being used almost in everything to keep things private. Attorney Cyrus Vance put the blame on Apple and Google for offering the said technology. As a result, the public's safety is compromised.
Since last year, the two smartphone makers armed their devices with encryption and they themselves don't hold the keys that can unlock the contents of their phone products. Apple is known for the outstanding security measures installed in their products which attract many customers.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office pointed out several occasions wherein unlocked iPhones helped solve cases. Photos, videos and messages stored in the said device can serve as solid evidences for an investigation. The Internet browsing history can also help the police identify criminals.
