Almost one week has passed since a federal judge ordered Apple to unlock the iPhone of one of the gunmen in the San Bernardino attack, an order which Apple vehemently opposes.
Here are four updates on the developing story.
1. After refusing to comply with the order to unlock the phone for the FBI, Apple has until Feb. 26 to file a response to the order, reports Reuters. The report cites court papers that indicate Apple has hired two free-speech lawyers in this dispute. Apple is expected to invoke the First Amendment's freedom of speech right in its defense, as well as challenge the government's issuance of the All Writs Act of 1789, which permits the government to issue any legal order it deems necessary or appropriate "in aid of their respective jurisdictions." The government issued its order to Apple under the All Writs Act.
2. Apple wants the government to withdraw the order it issued under the All Writs Act, and the company said it has done all it can do to help the government up to this point. In an internal memo to Apple employees obtained by Buzzfeed News, Apple CEO Tim Cook instead suggests forming a commission to discuss implications for law enforcement, national security, privacy and personal freedoms.
3. CNN Money has compiled a list of prominent figures backing the government and those backing Apple. Among others, technology companies are largely defending Apple's fight against the federal order, saying asking the company to develop a master key to break through the encryption presents a security threat to all customers. Those supporting Apple include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Facebook, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, businessman Mark Cuban and the New York Times editorial board.
Those standing with the government are mostly politically minded groups and individuals, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
4. On Friday, the Justice Department filed a motion asking a federal court to compel Apple to comply with the order to unlock the phone. According to the motion, the department suggests Apple's refusal to unlock the phone is a marketing strategy over anything else, reports the New York Times.
However, Tenable Network security CEO Ron Gula told Politico the argument that this fight is a marketing strategy could go both ways and be used against the government. Mr. Gula told Politico the government may be capable of writing the code to unlock the phone itself but is using the San Bernardino shootings as a backdrop to rally public support for such encryption backdoors. "I'd like to believe my government has the resources, including in the FBI, to do this," Mr. Gula said. "So they're making [the fight] public for a reason."
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