FBI Director Calls On Congress To 'Fix' Phone Encryption By Apple, Google

[jct74]

FBI Director Calls On Congress To 'Fix' Phone Encryption By Apple, Google

by Ryan J. Reilly and Matt Sledge
Posted: 10/16/2014 2:46 pm EDT

WASHINGTON -- FBI Director James Comey called Thursday for "a regulatory or legislative fix" for technology companies' expanding use of encryption to protect user privacy, arguing that without such a fix, "homicide cases could be stalled, suspects could walk free, and child exploitation victims might not be identified or recovered."

Comey said he understood the "justifiable surprise" many Americans felt after former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden's disclosures about mass government surveillance, but he contended that recent shifts by companies like Apple and Google to make data stored on cell phones inaccessible to law enforcement went too far.

"Perhaps it’s time to suggest that the post-Snowden pendulum has swung too far in one direction -- in a direction of fear and mistrust," said Comey, speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington in his first major policy speech since taking over the FBI 13 months ago.

"Justice may be denied because of a locked phone or an encrypted hard drive," he said.

The latest versions of smartphone operating systems from Apple and Google provide strong default encryption that cannot be broken even by the companies themselves -- as long as users store data like photos only on their own devices and not in the cloud.

...

read more:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/1...n_5996808.html

[tangent4ronpaul]

The country already had this discussion years ago over a algorithm called skipjack. The public said go $#@! yourself!

Note that this guy is asking for a ban on all encryption they can't access. So nice to know the fuds think they own all our data

As an aside, ALL Micro$haft encryption programs can be cracked pretty much instantly with commercial software. It opens up so fast they put delay loops to create the impression that the crack program was actually working and customers were getting their money worth.

-t

[Anti Federalist]

FBI boss: We don't want a backdoor, we want the front door to phones

Claims it's what the Founding Fathers would have wanted – catching killers and pedos

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10...he_front_door/

[twomp]

Members of congress won't pass a bill like this because they want to get re-elected. So they will add a line in their next 10,000 page bill adding this clause then claim that anyone who opposes this bill of wanting to shut down the government and let murderers and pedophiles run free. That is the American way to pass bills like this!

[puppetmaster]

Members of congress won't pass a bill like this because they want to get re-elected. So they will add a line in their next 10,000 page bill adding this clause then claim that anyone who opposes this bill of wanting to shut down the government and let murderers and pedophiles run free. That is the American way to pass bills like this!

That's how they pass all the $#@! bills.

[green73]

Maybe Rand will weigh in...

[green73]

Oh sorry, I thought this was the Rand forum.

[Working Poor]

"homicide cases could be stalled, suspects could walk free, and child exploitation victims might not be identified or recovered."

They won't solve these cases because too many people in high places exploit children.

[DamianTV]

They won't solve these cases because too many people in high places exploit children.

Aaaah, the freedom for the rich to exploit the poor. Doesnt matter if the poor get encryption or not, the rich are still exempt from laws as always, even if caught.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Just caught the clip.

NO #$#@!forbrains Comey - "sophisticated criminals" will be smart enough to use actually strong encryption you can't crack. This is so you can spy on the rest of us. $#@!!

-t

[nobody's_hero]

Just caught the clip.

NO #$#@!forbrains Comey - "sophisticated criminals" will be smart enough to use actually strong encryption you can't crack. This is so you can spy on the rest of us. $#@!!

-t

"sophisticated criminals" won't use encryption at all, because they'll be smart enough to not even use anything that leaves a physical electronic or paper trail. Yeah, sometimes crooks are dumb. But someone who murders someone and wants to try to get away with it isn't going to suddenly call up all his buds and be like, 'yo, guess what I just did.'

So indeed, it is about spying on the rest of us.

The best encryption is to not even put it on paper (or text or voice).—But that's probably just the luddite in me speaking.

[Occam's Banana]

WASHINGTON -- FBI Director James Comey called Thursday for "a regulatory or legislative fix" for technology companies' expanding use of encryption to protect user privacy, arguing that without such a fix, "homicide cases could be stalled, suspects could walk free, and child exploitation victims might not be identified or recovered."

[...]

"Justice may be denied because of a locked phone or an encrypted hard drive," he said.

You know ... because homicide cases never stalled and justice was never denied prior to the advent of digital encryption ...

Oh, yeah, and I almost forgot - child exploitation victims were always identified and recovered, too (gotta squeeze "the children" in there somehow ...)

Stupid homicide-enabling, justice-denying, child-exploiting privacy stuff! Poor James Comey and his knights with shining FBI badges! They just want to serve and protect us, after all. How dare anyone want to keep anything from them? I mean, it's not like Fed LEOs (especially the FBI) would ever abuse their power or anything! And it's for the children!

[helmuth_hubener]

"sophisticated criminals" won't use encryption at all, because they'll be smart enough to not even use anything that leaves a physical electronic or paper trail. Yeah, sometimes crooks are dumb. But someone who murders someone and wants to try to get away with it isn't going to suddenly call up all his buds and be like, 'yo, guess what I just did.'

So indeed, it is about spying on the rest of us.

The best encryption is to not even put it on paper (or text or voice).—But that's probably just the luddite in me speaking.

Totally true, all. I endorse this post.

[DamianTV]

So which is worse? Govt access to absolutely everything you do? Jailed for having expired meds in your medicine cabinet. Or Corporations having access to absolutely everything you do? You smoke so we are going to take more money from you, even though we arent an Insurnace Company! Which one is worse? When we have Facism, neither is worse because each will hide behind their alternate forms. Govt will claim Companies need access to your data because after all, they are a Business, and Businesses will claim they are collecting said data on behalf of the Govt.

My guys, what Big Data you have!

All the better to control you with my dear!