[Cryptography] eliminating manufacturer's ability to backdoor users

[Allen]

>
> Government-ordered literal back doors like this are not a known norm
> in the states, hence why Apple is fighting the ruling.  One
> yet-incomplete court decision does not yet change that, and I expect
> Apple will appeal it as high as the court system lets them.
>

Government-mandated back doors are the norm in the USA.  The law is known
as CALEA and at the moment it applies only to telecommunication providers.
See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Assistance_for_Law_Enforcement_Act

But don't fool yourself, if the DOJ/FBI loses this case in court, Congress
will step in and pass the equivalent of CALEA for technology providers, and
it will be much, much worse than what the DOJ/FBI is asking for here. It
will probably mandate key escrow for all encryption so law enforcement can
easily decode everything.

That is why it is a mistake for Apple to contest the order.  There is
simply no way they are going to win, and by drawing attention to this
problem, they are only going to spur Congress into taking action that will
have an even worse result.

IMO, the best protection is going to be found in technology, and how it is
used (i.e., the purpose of this list), not in Congress and not in the
courts.
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