ALA: Don’t hack the Constitution, ALA stands with Apple

Washington, D.C. – The American Library Association (ALA)’s Adam Eisgrau, managing director of the Office of Government Relations, issued the following statement on a federal magistrate’s February 16 order that Apple develop new technology to assist the FBI to defeat privacy protections built into the iPhone’s operating system:

The only thing that could make last December’s attack in San Bernardino more horrible would be its use to profoundly erode the Constitution’s protection of our fundamental freedoms. Man­dated 'back doors' into encrypted systems cannot successfully be labelled 'Bad Guys Keep Out.'  The only way to protect our data and, ultimately, our freedom is to fight any attempt by the courts and Congress to hack the Constitution.  ALA stands with Apple.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.