Bill Gates said it is important to strike the right balance between the government getting to see everything versus nothing.
Bill Gates is "disappointed" with a recent report suggesting that he supports the U.S. government in its clash with Apple Inc. over unlocking an iPhone, saying it doesn't accurately reflect his opinion on the matter.
"That doesn't state my view on this," he said in an interview on "Bloomberg Go." "The extreme view that government always gets everything, nobody supports that. Having the government be blind, people don't support that."
The Financial Times reported that Gates sided with the U.S. government, saying that a court order requiring Apple to help unlock the phone of a terrorist involved in a December attack was a one-time request and "no different" from accessing bank and telephone records.
Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has said he will fight the court order because the directive would set a dangerous precedent that could eventually force the company to build software that provides the U.S. government -- and potentially other foreign governments -- with access to private data.
This clash between Apple and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has ignited a long-simmering battle between the tech industry and the government over the ability to intrude on individuals' privacy to fight terrorism. Google Inc., Gates' Microsoft Corp., and other technology companies have backed Apple.
It's important to strike the right balance between the government getting to see everything versus nothing, Gates said on "Bloomberg Go." While Apple has said it would comply with the courts' final decision, bringing the issue to the public provides an opportunity to discuss when the government has a right to know, he said.
"You don't just want to take the minute after a terrorist event and swing that direction, nor do you want to completely swing away from government access when you have some abuse," he said. "You want to strike that balance that the United States leads and setting an example."
© 2016 Bloomberg L.P.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"That doesn't state my view on this," he said in an interview on "Bloomberg Go." "The extreme view that government always gets everything, nobody supports that. Having the government be blind, people don't support that."
The Financial Times reported that Gates sided with the U.S. government, saying that a court order requiring Apple to help unlock the phone of a terrorist involved in a December attack was a one-time request and "no different" from accessing bank and telephone records.
Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has said he will fight the court order because the directive would set a dangerous precedent that could eventually force the company to build software that provides the U.S. government -- and potentially other foreign governments -- with access to private data.
This clash between Apple and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has ignited a long-simmering battle between the tech industry and the government over the ability to intrude on individuals' privacy to fight terrorism. Google Inc., Gates' Microsoft Corp., and other technology companies have backed Apple.
It's important to strike the right balance between the government getting to see everything versus nothing, Gates said on "Bloomberg Go." While Apple has said it would comply with the courts' final decision, bringing the issue to the public provides an opportunity to discuss when the government has a right to know, he said.
"You don't just want to take the minute after a terrorist event and swing that direction, nor do you want to completely swing away from government access when you have some abuse," he said. "You want to strike that balance that the United States leads and setting an example."
© 2016 Bloomberg L.P.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
