The policies of the U.S. government and the business interests of U.S. technology giants are increasingly diverging as a high-profile battle between the FBI and Apple over iPhone encryption shows.
The legal battle between the FBI and Apple Inc. over the unlocking of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook's cell phone demonstrates the increasing willingness of U.S. technology giants to challenge the government over access to user data and has inspired a wider debate over information security and privacy laws. The changing nature of the global information industry has forced companies like Apple to find ways to comply with the often disparate policies of the countries in which they operate. At the same time, the U.S. government must determine how to balance policies best suited to meet the needs of domestic technology conglomerates with its own security interests.
