I might be worthwhile for Apple to provide an option for a 2 factor device unlock process for those extremely concerned about security/privacy. For example, the standard passcode on reboot must be a complex passcode and thereafter you must dual authenticate using both Touch ID and a simple passcode.
Easy: don't break the law.
What the police have and what is stored on your iPhone through the finger sensor/imaging I don't believe are the same things.
The police does not have a multi dermal layer skin reading that is used to create a code. The police have an ink impression on the ridges of the outer layer of the skin on your finger.
This is like saying they have your hat which holds your head so you have to divulge all of what is inside your head and you don't have a right to remain silent because after all, they have your hat.
Police, knock this baloney off. They should be going out of their way to preserve and stand up for our rights and freedoms, instead they push the limits as often as they can.
The difference is this:
Your fingerprint is on your finger.
Your passcode is in your brain.
They can't force you to speak. "You have the right to remain silent"
They can however force you to give blood, hair samples, fingerprints as long as they have a warrant. Blood, hair samples, fingerprints and other stuff can not testify.
Also you seem to be confused on the warrant part in regards to this story.
This story is not about warrant-less searches. The state went to the judge to ask for a warrant to compel the defendant to unlock the phone with his finger. The defendants lawyers attempted to squash the warrant because obviously they do not want the state getting pictures or video off the defendants phone. The judge ruled on the warrant and granted it to the state.
So a warrant is involved and the state got it. It probably won't do any good since it's probably been more then 48 hours and you need a pass-code with which the defendant can now not give them since that would be forcing him to testify against himself.
So anything that's physical is subject to the 4th Amendment requiring a warrant. Everything in your mind however is covered under the 5th Amendment and they can't force you to divulge it and testify against yourself.
So the best thing to do is use a pass-code on your phone at all times or stall and delay for at least 48 hours or shut the phone off and reboot.
Of course the absolute best thing to do if one is inclined to be a criminal is to not record your criminal activities on your phone in the first place.
Currently while you can use Touch ID for most things, you still need a passcode, which can be a simple passcode, on reboot or after too many Touch ID attempts and the passcode can also be used directly to unlock even if the Touch ID is setup. I'm just suggesting Apple offer an enhanced security option where any situation that previously required just a Touch ID would require a Touch ID + simple passcode and any situation that previously required a passcode would require that passcode by a complex passcode. That complex passcode can always supersede the Touch ID + simple passcode. For convenience the simple passcode could be derived from the complex passcode, for example, be the first four digits.This isn't a bad idea, but what if touch ID fails? Some people could possibly accidentally cut or slightly burn a finger.
That will be pretty hard if you are in cuffs.
Everything the judge did is within the bounds of the Constitution.
Your fingerprints have never been considered to be something that could cause you to testify against yourself. Neither has your blood, DNA, or hair or anything else that you can produce upon receipt of a valid warrant from a court.
I would suggest that it is you that needs to read the Constitution along with accepted case law in this country. No it's not perfect, your slavery example shows that, but it works well enough.
In this case the state wanted the defendant to use his finger to unlock his iPhone. The state went to the court and asked the judge for a warrant to accomplish this. The defendant claimed the state had no right to do this as it would violate his 5th Amendment rights against testifying against himself. The judge correctly said that fingerprints are not covered by the 5th Amendment as your fingerprints can not cause you to testify against yourself. The judge correctly said that the fingerprint issue is covered under the 4th Amendment and the state was granted the warrant for the defendant to unlock the phone with his finger. It is not unreasonable of the state to seek out a warrant to compel a defendant to provide access to the iPhone.
However the judge threw in one caveat. An important one. That is the state can ask the defendant to open the phone using his finger as that is no different then the state asking for the key to the defendants house BUT if the iPhone was locked with a pass-code the state could not get a warrant because at that point the pass-code would be covered under the 5th Amendment and you could not compel the defendant to speak.
So for those who like you seem to border on paranoid mass-hysteria at every little court ruling because you don't understand the Constitution or case law simply turn off the fingerprint sensor on your phone or turn it off/on or stall the police for 48 hours or just don't put anything incriminating on your phone.
Or even better don't take your phone with you to the crime scene since the police will get a warrant for your cell phone with the cell phone companies since you are being tracked by the cell phone towers. Use a burner phone.
I notice that the courts side a majority of the time with gov't or police power over people. The courts are nothing but a rubber stamp for whatever the cops or other branches of govt want to do. So I dont care what the courts say anymore. They are not the final authority anyhow. We are.
you like most of the others in this topic talk like police are stupid when it comes to unlocking your iPhone. If your thumb isn't it on first try they are going to go into "red alert". You think your going to get ten attempts to get it wrong. ha good luck with that. They'll get you on the 3rd
Anyway what a hassle. Touch ID is meant to make life easier not harder. Get a change in the law not your habits
Info from your phone can potentially be turned against you, for example, if it contradicts your earlier statement - lying to the police will get you in trouble.Just toying with you. Like most people on here, I'd just unlock it for them - I have nothing to hide anyway.
Info from your phone can potentially be turned against you, for example, if it contradicts your earlier statement - lying to the police will get you in trouble.
Easy: don't break the law.
The thought was to turn it off instead when they ask you to unlock it.