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Comment by intermerda | Hacker News Reader

> It remains Apple's policy today.

What is that policy?

> According to Grok

Why did you ask an LLM which is manipulated by a single person when he doesn't like facts?

> So, we have precedent where four Democratic senators pressured Apple to remove an app that allowed people to evade law enforcement.

Yes, senators sent letters to several companies. Apple listened. What would have happened if it didn't? What would happen to Apple if they don't listen now?

Do you sincerely believe that both situations are comparable?

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> Do you sincerely believe that both situations are comparable?

How are they not? In both cases US government officials applied pressure and implied legal action to force private companies to act in ways that enabled law enforcement to act with less resistance. It’s why we should always push back against government overreach and bullying. Because the “slippery slope” might be a logical fallacy, but that doesn’t stop it from also being the most likely outcome of the government pushing the boundaries.

Oh, please. Senators do not head the department of justice and requested, not demanded under threat of retribution under a "unitary executive". For them to do anything would require a quorum of 50% of the entire government to make a law.

Sure but Senators actually have the power to make law, unlike the executive. Also let’s be honest, if any government official “requests” anything it is always under the threat of retribution. See also the Jimmy Kimmel situation.

> Also let’s be honest, if any government official “requests” anything it is always under the threat of retribution.

If you wanted to be honest you would say this government, not any government.

I’m reasonably confident that if a sitting US senator called you up personally and “requested” that you stop posting on HN or stop contributing to some open source encryption tool that you would find that event threatening, no matter who was currently president.

> In both cases US government officials applied pressure and implied legal action to force private companies to act in ways that enabled law enforcement to act with less resistance.

That's like saying cooking is comparable with stabbing someone because both involve moving a knife back and forth. Give me a break.

The intent of using a knife to cut flesh when cooking and the intent of using a knife to cut flesh when stabbing someone is different. Are you saying you believe that the intended outcome of the senator’s request was different?

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