Building a “backdoor”

to the iPhone : an
ethical dilemma

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 OUTLINE
• At glance

• Apple Computers, Inc.

• The case

• Apple’s dilemma

• To be discussed

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 AT GLANCE
• Terrorist incident occur in US

• Government want Apple to create something that could

violate customer privacy

• Tim Cook (Apple’s CEO) refuse government order

• Both party “fight” in court for their stand

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 Apple Computers. Inc.
Apple Computers History

• Free PowerPoint Templates - prezentr.com Source : https://churchm.ag/history-of-apple-computers/

 Apple Computers, Inc.
Customer Privacy and Apple

• Free PowerPoint Templates - prezentr.com Source : https://www.apple.com/lae/privacy/

 THE CASE
The San Bernardino bombing and Apple
• 2nd December 2015 a married couple shot at Inland Regional
Center, Killed 14 and injured 22 people
• How to ascertain the motive behind the attack
• The FBI wanted Apple to build “a backdoor”
• Federal ask Apple to assist The FBI

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 THE CASE
• The FBI’s stance
• FBI Requested that apple create software
that would decrypt locked iPhones related
with criminal cases
“ You can’t have 100%
security and then have
• FBI argue that this is the only way to find 100% privacy and zero
critical information related with terrorist inconvenience”
act (could be used to predict future act
from confiscated criminal’s phone)

• FBI applying to US Magistrate judge to

issue a court order mandating Apple to
create and provide the requested software

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 THE CASE
• Apple’s Stance
• Tim Cook release letter to customer on “Our commitment to protecting
which stated that Apple oppose the FBI your privacy comes from deep
order respect for our customer, we
will work hard as we can to
• Apple said that creating backdoor earn and keep it”
software could create larger negative
implication

• Apple arguments that FBI request will

threatens data security and could be use
to force any technology company to
create software that could damage the
security of their products

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 THE CASE

Note : full content of the letter can be found on link below

• Free PowerPoint Templates - prezentr.com Source : https://www.apple.com/customer-letter/
 SUPPORT ARGUMENTS FOR EACH STANCE
• Violation of
customer privacy
• Software can be
Apple
• Can prevent future
attack based on
phone information

uses by hacker and • Speed up

threaten Apple

FBI
investigation
customers
process
• Risk of losing
customer • Safety of people

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 APPLE’S DILEMMA
• The “dirty-hand” problem
Hard, moral choices involving the right-versus-right
dilemmas. The dilemmas are clashes among different,
conflicting moralities, among very different spheres of
responsibility.

• The Four Spheres of Managers’ Commitment

• The commitments of private life
• The commitments of economic agents
• The commitments as company leaders
• Responsibilities beyond the firm‘s boundaries

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 TO BE DISCUSSED
• What were the moral dilemmas facing Cook?
• How would he choose to address them?
• Which was right, favouring customer privacy or favouring
national security?
• How should Cook handle this “right-versus-right” problem?
• Would his decision to safeguard his clients’ digital privacy
become a defining moment for Cook?

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 What were the moral dilemmas facing Cook?

Right Protect Customer Privacy

Protect customer privacy and make
iPhones remain as secure as possible

Right Protect national Security

Releasing customer information to FBI, by
creating “backdoor” to access Iphone “Right versus Right Dilemma”
data to protect national security and
prevent similar attack in the future
 How would he choose to address them?
Secure Phone saves lives.
Information security is no 1 priority to prevent cyber
Apple crime (especially in digital era, that file sharing could
commitment Customer trust level be very easy)
declining

Pros: Cons:
1. The software doesn’t exist yet 1. Prevent future attact
2. If software could be created, it could 2. Speed up investigation
be could fall into the wrong hands
and be used to unlock anyone’s 3. Safe people life
June 2013 iPhone (Cyber crime)
Customer privacy Edward Snowden exposed US
is no 1 priority goverment surveillance to its 3. Creating “backdoor software” will
citizen make encryption is a useless tools to
protecting data.
Prioritizing customer privacy as
4. And apple’s would be ultimately
their culture to the sake of hacking its own users and reversing
customer trust Apple’s declaration on customer
security protection
 Which was right, favoring customer privacy or
favoring national security?

Legal :
Legal:
The Electronic Communications
The USA PATRIOT Act - An Act to deter
Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA) - An Act to Customer National
and punish terrorist acts in the United
amend title 18, United States Code, Privacy Security States and around the world, to
with respect to the interception of
enhance law enforcement investigatory
certain communications, other forms
tools, and for other purposes
of surveillance, and for other
purposes Protect citizen Ensure citizen
private data safety

In this case, It is right to favoring customer privacy,

because in this digital era, information sharing become
very easy and could be very dangerous if its fall to
wrong hand
 How should Cook handle this “right-versus-right”
problem?
Using Baradacco Framework [Four Spheres of Managers’
Commitment], Tim cook made the most reasonable
decision to protect customer privacy

 Tim Cook keep his principle to protect customer privacy

 Victim family receive least harm to Cook’s decision
 Goverment can use another way to assertain the motive
 Cook can protect APPLE’S brand which related to
shareholders

Before “backdoor” policy created, Cook action is

understandable. His action is justified by law and by
the moral principle of protecting customer data.
Would his decision to safeguard his clients’ digital privacy become a
defining moment for Cook?
Yes, Tim Cook already implemented well Four Sphere of
Manager’s commitment and He can maintain the
Company Ethical

Customer trust level declining since snowden

and Leaked Icloud

Cook action to turn down government request will be a

major point to increasing Apple’s customer trust level