Security News > 2021 > June > Apple Reaffirms Privacy Stance Amid Trump Probe Revelations
Seeking to protect its image as a guardian of personal privacy, Apple maintains it was blindsided and handcuffed by a Trump administration probe that resulted in the company handing over phone data from two Democratic congressmen.
Apple also upped the privacy ante in April when it rolled out privacy controls on the iPhone as part of an effort to make it more difficult for companies such as Facebook to track people's online activities to help sell ads.
The subpoenas represent a "a quintessential example of government abuse" that ensnared Apple, said Alan Butler, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
That's because Apple privacy commitments mostly revolve around shielding its customers from online surveillance.
Apple has a history of fighting legal requests, most notably in 2016 when the Justice Department sought to force Apple to unlock the iPhone owned by one of the killers in a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California.
Apple refused to cooperate, contending it would open a digital backdoor that would pose threats to the security and privacy of all iPhone users.