A Win For Apple and Encryption, For Now

A federal court in California has vacated a hearing scheduled for tomorrow, March 22, in the FBI’s case against Apple. With the court issuing a stay in the case, it suspends the order seeking to compel Apple to unlock the iPhone of one of the shooters in the San Bernardino attacks. The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) filed an amicus brief in support of Apple in the case.

“With the FBI backing down on this case, this is at least a short-term win for Apple. It is not uncommon for hearings in civil cases to be postponed on short notice,” said Lisa Hayes, CDT Vice President of Programs and Strategy. “This has always been a case about the government attempting to mandate technological backdoors that would make all Americans less secure. We’re glad to see the court take this step.”

CDT has long advocated for secure communications and privacy protections. We will continue to actively monitor the developments in the case, and firmly believe that Apple should prevail in the courts if necessary.