Apple: Privacy Vs. Safety

Case Name: Apple: Privacy vs. Safety(A)

Section: A

Group - Avengers

Group Members:
Mayank Pansari (1701033)
Rahul Gulati (1701041)
Ritu Raj (1701043)
Satyam Verma(1701045)
Shobhit Sharma (1701047)
Vivek Kumar Rai (1701056)

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Ques 1: What are the Apple's various responsibilities in this situation? If you were in Cook's shoes, would you comply with the court order?

Apple has following responsibilities in this situation:

1. To safeguard the privacy of iPhone users

Apple is a pioneer in using cutting-edge technology especially data security in its products. Apple iPhone is used by professional and government officials across the globe. Its phones considered as one of the most secure devices. It is the responsibility of the apple not to compromise on user’s privacy. It is Apple's professional as well as moral obligation to protect user’s private data.

1. Responsibility towards the society

Any organization that exists in this world has a responsibility towards the betterment of the society. It becomes Apple’s moral obligation to help the government and national security agencies to help safeguard the society against anti-social threats such as terrorism.

1. Responsible towards its employees

The employees are one of the most important assets for a company that has differentiated itself in terms of technology. The employees have worked for years to build technologies that make Apple such a secure device. Undoing such a technological advancement or creating a loophole in their own developments may negatively affect the morale of the employees. It is important for Apple to keep its employees motivated and to avoid such things that may spread a negative environment within the company.

1. Shareholders

Apple should work for creating value for its shareholders. Apple should avoid any public distrust in the company which can result in a decreased market value of the company.

1. Government

The government works for the welfare of the society and Apple should support the government in its tasks. An organization is not only responsible for paying the taxes but also to help the government by complementing the acts of the government.

Court’s order is against the policy of Apple’s responsibilities towards its customers and employees. However, the order is in line with its responsibilities towards the society and the government. If we try to assign certain weights to each of the responsibilities, the safety of the citizens outweighs data privacy of the Individuals. But it can create distrust among the users and will decrease shareholder’s value.