Poll: US public supports unlocking terrorist's iPhone

A new poll has revealed that 51% of those surveyed believe that Apple should unlock the iPhone that belonged to one of the individuals involved in the December 2015 San Bernardino (California) terrorist attack. Apple and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are in a stand-off over the issue, with Apple so far refusing to acquiesce to the FBI’s demand and associated court order. The bosses of Google and Facebook have supported Apple's stance. A study by Pew has shown that a majority of respondents support the FBI’s position, with 38% taking the side of Apple while 11% had no opinion. Among those respondents who owned an iPhone, 47% felt that the device should be unlocked, compared with 43% who argued otherwise on the basis of protecting other users’ privacy and security.

More Americans side with the FBI than with Apple on the question of whether the tech giant should create software to unlock an iPhone that belonged to one of the San Bernardino terror suspects.

In a Pew survey of 1,002 adults conducted from Feb. 18 to 21, 51% said Apple should unlock the phone, compared with 38% who said it should not and 11% who did not have an opinion.

Approximately equal shares of Republicans (56%) and Democrats (55%) said Apple should unlock the phone, while Independents were more evenly split among themselves on the issue, with 45% supporting the FBI and 42% supporting Apple.

Among iPhone owners, 47% said the phone should be unlocked, compared with 43% who felt it should not in order to protect other users’ privacy and security.

[Pew]

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