Microsoft co-founder said his views on the row between Apple and the FBI has been misrepresented. (Photo : YouTube/Microsoft)
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has refuted recent reports in a section of the media that he supported the U.S. government in the row between Apple and the FBI over the unlocking of an iPhone belonging to a suspected terrorist. He asserted that his views on the issue has been misunderstood and misreported.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Gates said that he feels disappointed that his views on the issue have not been reported correctly by a section of the media. He explained, "The extreme view that government always gets everything, nobody supports that. Having the government be blind, people don't support that."
Stating that Gates backed the U.S. government on the controversy, the Financial Times earlier quoted him as saying that the court order necessitating Apple to help unlock the iPhone of a suspected terrorist involved in a massacre in San Bernardino, California, in December was a one-time request and it was not different from law enforcing agencies gaining access to bank and telephone records.
In another interview with Financial Times, Gates said the Apple vs. FBI issue is "a specific case where the government is asking for access to information." He added, "They are not asking for some general thing, they are asking for a particular case."
The media outlet further stated that Gates's stance on the issue puts him on a different platform than the remaining leaders of the tech industry, including Microsoft. While Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella yet is to make a comment on the issue publicly, but a company spokesperson pointed to a statement issued by the Reform Government Surveillance, an organization of top U.S. tech companies including Apple and Microsoft, opposing the court order.
Refuting the report incorrect reflection of his view, Gates emphasized on the importance of striking the right balance between the government getting accesses to everything versus nothing. He went on to add that although Apple has agreed to comply with the final decision of the courts, it is important to debate the issue in public as offers an opportunity to arrive at a consensus as to when the government has a right to know.
The standoff between Apple and the FBI has actually triggered a battle that has been simmering for long between the Silicon Valley and the U.S. government on whether the authorities had the right to infringe into an individual's privacy on the pretext of combating terrorism. While Google CEO Sundar Pichai has come out openly in support of Apple, several other tech majors have also backed Apple's cause.
Watch the video on Bill Gates' views on the Apple vs. FBI row below:
