Readers React: The FBI’s sought-after iPhone “backdoor” would be a gift to identity thieves

To the editor: Although my heart is with the FBI that every attempt should be made to discover what was on the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino killers, my head must agree with Apple that it should not have to help unlock the phone. (“Apple-FBI fight over iPhone encryption pits privacy against national security,” Feb. 18)

These killers knew their victims. Theirs was much more an act of workplace violence than terrorism. It took Islamic State, an organization that normally craves publicity, an eternity (relatively speaking) to assert any connection with these killers. Even belatedly, the best it could muster was the assertion that the killers were “supporters.” In other words, there was probably no connection from Islamic State’s side.

To risk creating a technological backdoor that could leave us all vulnerable to identity theft simply for the sake of discovering the low possibility that some connection could be revealed between these lone wolves and Islamic State simply does not make sense.

Robert S. Henry, San Gabriel

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To the editor: Apple’s virtuous hand-wringing over how burdensome it would be to help the FBI unlock a smartphone is disingenuous. Having written a bazillion lines of code myself, I am certain that Apple has legions of clever programmers who could gin up software to satisfy the FBI’s request quickly.

Apple’s revenue is declining, iPhone sales are flat, and company stock is tanking. What better way for Chief Executive Tim Cook to goose the business than to declare the Appleverse a safe haven for adulterers, porn lovers, human traffickers, terrorists and anyone else with a heartfelt need for secrecy, er, privacy?

Ronald Masson, Topanga

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To the editor: What the government seems not to understand is just how powerful Apple is. If the government pushes too hard, all Apple has to do is announce it will no longer sell its products in the U.S.

While this may sound suicidal on Apple’s part, such a move would result in a very brief, inexpensive dip in sales. Why? Because the public would revolt and laws would change in days. The result would be the continued protection of the public.

Apple is doing the right thing, and if it sticks to its guns, the company has all the control.

Robert Braley, Bakersfield

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