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A battle is brewing between tech companies and law enforcement over access to private data. As smartphones become more secure, law enforcement officials are calling for tech companies to create backdoors to these devices—a way for someone with a court order to have access to all of the encrypted data on the phone. Tech companies have refused, citing concerns about hacking and private security.


After Apple Case, Encryption Vs. National Security Dilemma Has Just Begun

Texas Gunman's Locked Cellphone Renews Debate Over Encryption

Additional resources to think about

Cyber Codes
Learn how encryption keeps online information private in this video from the NOVA Cybersecurity Lab.

Who's Snooping on You?
In this Above the Noise video, the host meets up with cybersecurity experts at Electronic Frontier Foundation to learn more about who’s snooping on people online and how you can protect yourselves.

In this interview from the PBS NewsHour, ProPublica reporter Julia Angwin discusses the director of the FBI's criticism over the advent of encrypted smart phones that allow users to keep data on their devices private.


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