Apple’s FBI Fight Is Part of a Trend
Three years ago the relationship between the tech sector and government ruptured when a National Security Agency contractor burst onto the scene toting a hard drive stocked with state secrets. Since then Silicon Valley's finest have been beefing up their security measures--applying stronger encryption to their products, for example--in order to protect consumers from snoops. The extra fortifications have made law enforcement officers irate. Battle lines drawn: the combatants now come to blows.
Apple v. FBI
The colossus of Cupertino's refusal to unlock an iPhone is still flummoxing the FBI. The company fears that making an exception--a tool to demolish device defenses--could indelibly wreck users' privacy.
For more on Apple’s FBI case, watch this Fortune video:
Facebook v. Brazil
Authorities briefly jailed the social network's Latin America chief in March after failing to access a drug crime suspect's WhatsApp messages. Facebook maintains it neither sees nor stores such information.
Microsoft v. U.S.
No, not the late '90s monopoly case, but a newer suit. The Redmond giant has rejected Justice Department demands to turn over customer emails stashed on Irish computer servers.
A version of this article appears in the April 1, 2016 issue of Fortune with the headline “The War Over Your Data Is Heating Up.”
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