"If the government laid a subpoena on us to get your iMessage, we can't provide it," Cook confirmed in September. "It's encrypted, and we don't have the key."Similar data encryption is running on Google's Android, the world's most popular mobile operating system. Together, Android and Apple's iOS owned 96 percent of the worldwide smartphone market in 2014, representing more than 1.2 billion devices -- figures that the US government has used to suggest that the encryption is not only widespread, but could already be used by criminals to safely chat without fear of government oversight.

In October, Comey f goyard iphone case said that " justice may be denied" because of strong encryption, He added that while he's not seeking a backdoor to easily access servers and obtain messages, he would like "to use the front door, with clarity and transparency, and with clear guidance provided by the law."Comey has also pointed to the US Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994, That law mandates that telephone companies build wiretapping backdoors into their equipment for officials to listen in on suspected criminals, No such law mandates a similar backdoor for mobile devices..

In March, Comey's statement was echoed by US Deputy Assistant General David Bitkower, who said that data encryption that doesn't allow for law enforcement access gives a criminal or terrorist the opportunity to act at their will without fear of any prying eyes, effectively putting the US in danger. Giving law enforcement access to suspected criminal information, Bitkower said, is the "standard American principle for the last couple of hundred years."In their letter to President Obama, the ITIC and the SIIA said any law that would broadly limit encryption would "deprive individuals of certain liberties."The organizations did, however, extend an olive branch. They acknowledged that the balance between personal privacy and catching criminals is "complex"and offered to find "pathways forward that preserve security, privacy, and innovation."For his part, President Obama has not made a significant move in one direction or the other. He said in an interview with Recode in February that he's a "strong believer in strong encryption" and he's sympathetic to companies "properly responding to market demand." Still, he sees the other side of the argument.

"I lean probably further in the direction of strong encryption than some do inside of law f goyard iphone case enforcement," the president said, "But I am sympathetic to law enforcement because I know the kind of pressure they're under to keep us safe, And it's not as black-and-white as it's sometimes portrayed, Now, in fairness, I think the folks who are in favor of airtight encryption also want to be protected from terrorists."So far, the White House has not offered any agenda on data encryption and has yet to say whether it will..

The White House and Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Industry groups representing Apple, Google and many others say they're firmly opposed to any policy that would undermine technology that helps ensure users' privacy. Two technology industry associations are worried about the US government's desires for managing data encryption -- and they want President Obama to know it. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.