Keep these questions in mind as you do the assigned readings and provide at least one sentence answers to these questions.
- What does it mean to say that the government would like to have a back door to the encrypted data on a mobile phone?
- What are the main legal and ethical reasons for letting the government have a back door?
- What are the main legal and ethical reasons against letting the government have a back door?
- Do you think Apple should abide by the Court’s decision and unlock the mobile phone in the San Bernardino case? Explain.
Portfolio Reflection Questions
Make a copy of this document in your Portfolio Assignments folder and answer these questions in the spaces below. Once complete, turn in this assignment according to the steps given by your teacher.
6.9 Impacts of CS: Cryptography and the Government Curriculum Page
Keep these questions in mind as you do the assigned readings and provide at least one sentence answers to these questions.
1. What does it mean to say that the government would like to have a back door to the encrypted data on a mobile phone?
The government would like to have a back door to the encrypted data on a mobile phone means that the government would like access to data on phones. If there is no backdoor, the encrypted data is nearly impossible to access, which means the government would have no way of accessing it if an individual had compromising data on their phone
2. What are the main legal and ethical reasons for letting the government have a back door?
- The data on mobile phones is private and should not be able to be accessed by the government
- It infringes on privacy rights
3. What are the main legal and ethical reasons against letting the government have a back door?
- it could lead to greater safety
- The information on phones should not be unable to accessed if it could lead to saving lives or preventing large scale problems
4. Do you think Apple should abide by the Court’s decision and unlock the mobile phone in the San Bernardino case? Explain.
- I do think Apple should abide by the Court's decision and unlock the mobile phone in the San Bernardino case. I understand the reluctance to do so, as it would make Apple seem like they just hand over personal information to the government and set a precedent, however in this case, the crime was so heinous that it warrants action. The information on that phone could lead to understanding of motive and possibly implicate others who are dangerous.
- However, when taking in all the nuances and details of the case, Apple was right to not give the government the backdoor. The government ended up unlocking the phone, without Apple letting them access all phones-which is good.