Old news articles that are still interesting today. (WSJ – 2 March 2016)

(image source: @WSJGraphics)

FBI: ‘Mistake’ Made Over iPhone
Comey says error didn’t prompt shutdown; Apple warns it is in ‘arms race’ with hackers

• FBI director Comey admitted that a mistake was made when dealing with the San Bernardino investigation.
• The ‘mistake’ was that in the early days of the investigation attempts to get data of one of the terrorists’ phones will now make it harder going forward to get such information.
• Nonetheless the FBI would still need Apple’s assistance to access the desired data.
• The was during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the issue of ‘encryption.’
• It would be my argument that encrypting one’s own data would fall under the 4th amendment and the right to privacy. Unable to access personal data by a second or third party is a definition of privacy.
• “The FBI wants to disable a security feature that erases the phone’s memory after 10 failed password attempts.”
• If lose my information because I forgot my password then the FBI should be S.O.L. as well.
• BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA: “Apple argued that if San Bernardino County officials had not reset the cloud storage account connected to the phone, the FBI might have been able to access much more of the data on the phone by connecting the device to the Wi-Fi system in Mr. Farook’s apartment.”
• In light of comments made by Comey Apple and privacy experts believe that those may make a strong enough case for Apple because “…the company [Apple] shouldn’t be forced to compensate for investigators’ mistake.”

German Privacy Probe Targets Facebook Data
“Facebook and others are charged with amassing user data, despite privacy law.”

• Go Germany on this one but hasn’t that become almost the sole purpose of Facebook?
• To post every single aspect of your life online so everyone can know where you are and what you’re doing and with whom?
• Look at a few people’s Facebook profiles, Twitter accounts and/or LinkedIn accounts and I can promise you that with the information posted on one, two or all three will give one enough personal information on a subject to write a pretty well detailed “biography.”