6.09 Impacts of CS: Cryptography and the Government

6.9 Impacts of CS: Cryptography and the Government Curriculum Page

Impacts of CS: Cryptography and the Government: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y4e-7Hv_3xDedL-WiBKxeDy50GD7e2EEDe0bJW_DtPg/edit?usp=sharing

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?

This means that the government wants to have a way to be able to access the encrypted data that is sent to a mobile phone. This data is encrypted to protect the privacy of users, so giving the government access to it could feel like a violation of privacy.

2. What are the main legal and ethical reasons for letting the government have a back door?

The main ethical reason for the government to have a back door is to help prevent domestic terrorism. In the modern age it is easy for people across the country to coordinate with each other, and the government has been afraid of a major terrorist attack since the 9/11 attacks. Giving the government a back door would allow them to know if any suspicious activity was occurring that could endanger America.

3. What are the main legal and ethical reasons against letting the government have a back door?

The most obvious reason for not giving the government a back door is that it is a violation of privacy. Many believe that citizens should be able to communicate freely without the government listening in. There is also a debate over whether the back door would violate constitutional rights regarding unwarranted searches.

4. Do you think Apple should abide by the Court’s decision and unlock the mobile phone in the San Bernardino case? Explain.

I think Apple should have unlocked the phone because it belonged to someone who was a known threat to national security. It would have been different if they had been asked to open the phone of someone who seemed completely innocent.