Do we have to pick just one?
Fifty-six, that is the number of men who gathered in the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Despite the grave risk they took putting “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” over their own lives, most of us probably can’t recall the names of 20 of them. That said, there is one name on that list whom I suspect sounds familiar to practically everyone - Benjamin Franklin. In addition to being a prolific inventor, President of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Ambassador to Sweden and France and America’s first Postmaster General, he is often cited (albeit incorrectly) with this quote: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Franklin was actually talking about his ability, or the colonial legislature’s ability, to tax the Penn family. But that aside, is the quote (taken out of context) wrong? Do we deserve liberty if we are so willing to surrender it? Must one be surrendered for the attainment? U.S. Attorney General William Barr has signaled that we must surrender at least some level of liberty if we are to be secure. If you haven’t heard what a “Golden Key” is in technology, you absolutely must get up to speed.
In short, Apple and other manufacturers have become better at encrypting the data on your cell phone and other devices. They have, in fact, become too good ... well, for the government. Prosecutors are finding, themselves, that possession of technology is of little more use than a boat anchor without the encryption key. To that end, many in the government have been asking for a “Golden Key” - a universal means to get past the encryption and into YOUR phone.
That’s right. With all of the data breaches hitting the news, Equifax, Capital One and Movie Pass to name just a few, the federal government wants to make it easier to access your data. Of course, the government claims that data will be secure, the same kind of promise that the suits in ivory towers made before their interest in profit outweighed your need for privacy.
Long before a jury is seated and a judge reviews the evi- dence, the government wants to peek inside your personal data, your life. They want the ability to turn your iPhone and everything in it into evidence. Sure, right now, they are claiming this is to fight terrorism. But what is more likely to happen to you in the next 30 days - your personal information being posted on the internet or you coming face-to-face with a terrorist?
Now, let me be clear. I have no problem with the government engaging in an all-out cyber warfare. If someone is labeled an enemy combatant, terrorist, or otherwise, then the government should bring the full might of the U.S. military down upon them. But to tell an American company that they have to create a mechanism that will allow the government to “break into” my devices in order to keep me safe ... well, that is wrong.
I urge you to call Congressman Cole, Lucas, Mullin, Hern, and Congresswoman Horn and tell them that a Golden Key solution is un-American.