Apple Opposes Order to Unlock San Bernardino Shooter's iPhone

Apple Inc. rejected a court order to help U.S. investigators unlock an iPhone used by one of the shooters in a terrorist attack in California, setting up a pivotal confrontation with the government over the sanctity of personal information.

In a letter published on Apple’s website, Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said the Federal Bureau of Investigation was seeking a new version of Apple’s operating system that would circumvent security features and give law enforcement access to private data. Calling the order a dangerous precedent, Cook framed it as a “chilling” attack on civil liberties and warned that ultimately the government could “demand that Apple build surveillance software to intercept your messages, access your health records or financial data, track your location, or even access your phone’s microphone or camera without your knowledge.”