Silicon Valley unites behind Apple as Google, Facebook and more support its encryption battle with FBI

Taking a stand: Apple has said meeting the FBI's demands would set a dangerous precedent for privacy

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

4 March 2016

Apple has won the backing of fellow tech giants including Google, Facebook and Microsoft in its battle with US authorities over encryption on its devices.

The iPhone-maker is fighting the Federal Bureau of Investigation's court order asking it to build software to unblock the smartphone used by one of the perpetrators of a December shooting in San Bernardino, California.

In a rare show of unity from Silicon Valley, Google, Facebook and Microsoft, plus more than two dozen other internet and tech firms, have filed legal papers asking a judge to support Apple's position.

Apple has argued that disabling the password protection and allowing access to the device would set a dangerous precedent and threaten customer security.

It has also claimed that it is a matter of free speech in that computer code is a form of expression.

It follows a long-running debate over how much governments and law enforcement should be able to monitor digital communications.

Family members of some of the victims of the San Bernardino shooting, which claimed 14 lives, have sided with the government.

They dispute Apple's stance, arguing that the government had a valid warrant, and that "one does not enjoy the privacy to commit a crime."

The families have also asserted that Apple "routinely modifies its systems" to comply with Chinese government directives.

The San Bernardino shootings were carried out by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, who were inspired by Islamist militants.

'Radicalised': Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook (Picture: AP)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection via AP

They couple were killed following the attack in a shootout with police.

The FBI wants access to their phone data to examine any links with militant groups.

Additional reporting by Reuters

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