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by atirip 3781 days ago
Why are you saying this? There is always a choice. TC may choose to go to jail. His successor may also choose to go to jail. To the point that Apple shareholders may choose to let Apple go bust and burn the servers with the source code of iOS. You can argue that this is silly, idiotic and what not. But there is always a choice. Some brave people have choosen to go to jail previously.
3 comments
legalbeagle 3781 days ago
This is not about going to jail. No one is going to go to jail. If Apple loses, they will have to comply (assuming it is technically possible to do so). They are going to appeal what is (at this point) an order from a magistrate judge. They have at least three higher forums (district judge, court of appeals, supreme court). If and when they get a final, adverse order they can't appeal, they are going to comply.
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curun1r 3781 days ago
Apple also has a form of resistance not available to you or I. They don't have to fall on their sword. A sword as big as theirs can be used it to decapitate (or, more aptly, recapitate) the FBI. With a 12-figure bank account, you can get a lot of people elected...people who will be more than willing to replace those in charge at the FBI.

What's more, they don't even have to actually do it, they just need to make the FBI believe that they actually would do it if the FBI presses the issue.

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0942v8653 3781 days ago
Right, but the FBI knows they wouldn't. This whole situation is generating good PR for Apple. Getting people elected that can change things would be a waste of their money because if known, it is very bad PR (the public is generally against lobbying like this) and the good PR created by this "fight" ends immediately.
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curun1r 3781 days ago
Right, I was just suggesting that Apple has better "nuclear" options than Tim Cook going to jail out of principle and Apple going out of business.
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cubano 3781 days ago
$550bil dollar companies do not allow themselves to "go bust and burn."

Way too many powerful and wealthy people are interested and invested.

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amdavidson 3781 days ago
He is clearly not implying that it is actually going to happen. This is a hypothetical to show that there is always a "choice".
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