Skip to main content

Clinton on Apple: there must be 'some way to avoid breaking data encryption’

Clinton on Apple: there must be 'some way to avoid breaking data encryption’

/

But there 'has to be some way to follow up on criminal activity'

Share this story

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton has weighed in on the ongoing encryption debate between Apple and the FBI, describing the situation as "the worst dilemma ever." Speaking in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the democratic presidential candidate equivocated between the two positions, specifying that "there has got to be some way to avoid breaking data encryption and opening the door to a lot of bad actors," but that there also "has to be some way to follow up on criminal activity and prevent crimes and terrorism."

Clinton made points for both sides, but didn't offer any hard solutions to the issue. "It's a problem we've got to come up with some way to solve," she said. "And I am not expert in any way to tell you how to do it." The democratic frontrunner also identified a "real mistrust" between technology companies and the US government, but again, didn't give a roadmap for how the two sides could be reconciled, stating simply that it was a "serious problem that has to be somehow worked through." Clinton's nebulous position on the issue may need to solidify soon — Apple and the FBI's fight over encryption has already made its way to Congress, and is likely to remain a hot topic for the presidential candidates ahead of the primaries and the election.