Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon now plan to support Apple in court in its fight with FBI
After some initial delay, several of the biggest names and competitors in the technology industry are now gearing up to stand firmly behind Apple in its fight with the FBI.
Google, Facebook and Twitter are planning to file legal briefs in court to support Apple in the coming days, individuals close to each company confirmed to Mashable on Thursday.
Sources close to the company suggested the legal filings are still in the works.
You May Also Like
One industry rep characterized it to Mashable as a "joint submission" on behalf of the companies.
Microsoft's chief legal counsel informed Congress earlier in the day that his company will file an amicus brief to support Apple "next week."
Amazon, mostly silent on the issue to date, is also reportedly joining the rush to Apple's defense, according to a report from BuzzFeed.
Apple is currently locked in a controversial battle to avoid building a custom tool that would help the FBI break into the iPhone 5c belonging to one of the gunmen behind last year's mass shooting in San Bernardino.
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, has repeatedly argued that the case could set a "dangerous" precedent that undermines the privacy and security of millions of consumers around the world.
The technology industry was slow at first in its response to the high-profile legal dispute -- and a bit muddled in that response.
The CEO of Google, for example, put out a series of carefully worded tweets acknowledging the importance of Apple's fight, while stopping short of a full endorsement.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, the founders of Microsoft and Facebook, respectively, released waffling statements of their own, while Microsoft proper chose to let an independent advocacy group speak on its behalf.
The execs and their companies were thought to be hampered by lucrative sales relationships with various government bureaus, looming legal battles of their own and broader concerns about firmly divided public opinion.
The pending amicus brief -- or briefs -- from the five influential companies send a clear message, however, that the giants of the tech industry now stand together to defend the principle of privacy -- even as critics worry about the impact Apple's decision could have on law enforcement's ability to protect citizens.
"We at Microsoft support Apple, and we'll be filing an amicus brief to support Apple's position in court next week," Brad Smith, president and chief legal counsel at Microsoft, said in an appearance before Congress on Thursday.
"We... agree wholeheartedly with Apple that the right place to bring this discussion is here, in the House of Representatives and the Senate, so the people who are elected by the people can make these decisions."
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Topics Google
Seth Fiegerman was a Senior Business Reporter at Mashable, where he covered startups, marketing and the latest consumer tech trends. He joined Mashable in August 2012 and is based in New York.Before joining Mashable, Seth covered all things Apple as a reporter at Silicon Alley Insider, the tech section of Business Insider. He has also worked as a staff writer at TheStreet.com and as an editor at Playboy Magazine. His work has appeared in Newsweek, NPR, Kiplinger, Portfolio and The Huffington Post.Seth received his Bachelor of Arts from New York University, where he majored in journalism and philosophy.In his spare time, Seth enjoys bike riding around Brooklyn and writing really bad folk songs.
