Apple’s Eddy Cue Says FBI Case Could Allow Surveillance via iPhone Camera and Microphone

Apple’s Eddy Cue said that if the FBI wins its case against Apple, there is nothing to stop the precedent being used to extend government surveillance.

Cue defended the company’s refusal to help the FBI unlock an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters in a lengthy interview in Spanish broadcast on Univision on Wednesday.

Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Service has said that he does not know where United States law enforcement will stop, if it’s able to force the hardware maker to create a version of iOS to bypass functionality that auto-erases a device once a number of failed passcode attempts is reached.

Cue also said that FBI case could allow law enforcement to secretly turn on your iPhone’s camera and microphone for surveillance reason.

“When they can get us to create a new system to do new things, where will it stop?” Cue said. “For example, one day [the FBI] may want us to open your phone’s camera, microphone. Those are things we can’t do now. But if they can force us to do that, I think that’s very bad.”

Beyond the US, Cue said if the FBI was successful, it would be a very bad decision with other countries looking to gain access to the same backdoor.

[via AppleInsider]