SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Apple CEO Tim Cook is defending his company’s decision to resist an FBI demand for help cracking an encrypted iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.
Cook told a television interviewer Wednesday that it was both the “hard” and “right” thing to do. He also said complying with the demand would be “bad for America.”
Cook made his statements to ABC News in his first public interview since Apple’s standoff with federal authorities erupted last week.
Federal officials have said they’re only asking for narrow assistance in bypassing some security features on the iPhone. Apple has argued that doing so would make other iPhones more vulnerable to hacking by authorities or criminals in the future.
Apple is expected to file its legal response in court by Friday.