Apple Fight Could Lead to “Virtually Limitless” Surveillance Powers, Judge Warns

eff.org

101 points·DiabloD3··5 comments

Pretty sure 'Virtually Limitless Surveillance Powers' is kinda the whole point.

they had to tone it down from their original headline "Apple Fight Could Lead To End of the World As We Know It"

Some interesting points in regards to licensed applications as well. I know this has been a highly debated subject, but if you have an app that people use on their phones under your license, who owns the data? If the app is under investigation, could user's personal data also be at risk? We quickly agree to so many legally binding agreements without even thinking about it...

The question that Apple and the EFF are addressing is slightly different. Not "can the company own your personal data", but "does the company ALWAYS own your personal data even if they WANT to let you own it." We already have established law that says the Government can demand any data a company has on you, without even needing much of a reason and without triggering most 4th amendment protections.

Have these people even READ Riley v. California[1]? To quote from the majority opinion:

"modern cell phones, [...] are now such a pervasive and insistent part of daily life that the proverbial visitor from Mars might conclude they were an important feature of human anatomy. [...] Cell phones, however, place vast quantities of personal information literally in the hands of individuals.

The argument with Apple is not the same question as the (now settled) situation where there is no warrant, but clearly cell phones need to be treated specially.

[1] - http://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/desktop/document/Riley_v_...

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