[NewsPoster]

The heavy hitters of Silicon Valley have submitted briefs to the court overseeing the San Bernardino iPhone 5c encryption investigation, after promising to do so for a week. Late today, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Snapchat, Mozilla, and Dropbox all made more definitive statements than previous weak ones in support of Apple, and all decrying the use of the All Writs Act to force Apple to build an iPhone break-in tool to do the FBI's bidding.

Google spoke less about the need for privacy in its blog post about the matter, and more about the ability of the All Writs Act to "force private companies to actively compromise the safety and security features that we all build into our products."

The company continued, saying that "these are the same security features that we all develop to keep people safe from identity thieves, hackers, and other criminals. A bad precedent here could let governments compel companies to hack into your phones, your computers, your software, and your networks."

Brad Smith, Microsoft president and chief legal officer, says in his post about the filing that "we believe the issues raised by the Apple case are too important to rely on a narrow statute from a different technological era to fill the Government's perceived gap in current law. Instead we should look to Congress to strike the balance needed for 21st century technology."

It also claims that there is an "urgent need to update antiquated rules that govern digital technology and privacy. If we are to protect personal privacy and keep people safe, 21st century technology must be governed by 21st century legislation. What's needed are modern laws passed by our elected representatives in Congress, after a well-informed, transparent, and public debate."

[chimaera]

Boy, the extra briefs came all at once. I've been reading them, trying to catch up.

I'm not a lawyer, but I have to say. I'm pleased with what I'm reading. These look good.

[Mike Wuerthele]

Oh, there's one doozy ahead, from the San Bernardino DA.

Stand by.

[sgs123]

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