Article:
http://www.cnet.com/au/news/california-wants-to-ban-encrypted-smartphones/
Because the law is too similar to a law that the peeping toms in New York are trying to pass, it is clear that some group is behind the attempt to get such laws passed. On the Federal level Obama opposes the banning of encrypted phones, which is a good thing.
On the other hand FBI Director James Comey told senators that “the use of encryption is part of terrorist tradecraft now,” while New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton warns that the authorities have “gone blind.”
Please, think a second. Has law enforcement become too incompetent to place court approved eavesdropping equipment on suspects. The only reason to oppose encrypted phones is that criminals in government want to make the average user more vulnerable to terrorists and other criminals. The notion that police can’t do their job when phones are capable of encryption is a false narrative. It is a foolish narrative. POLICE CAN PLANT APPS & EAVESDROPPING BUGS on phones or through other devices/systems even if a phone uses encryption.
Tech companies support encryption not because of some nefarious motive. They support encryption to protect their customers from criminals. It is not 100% protection because criminals can potentially use the same methods as police for their spying, but it does offer some protection. And one has to hope when criminals outside of government use some of the police methods for spying, they will be caught.