BlackBerry CEO John Chen criticises Apple over encryption and user privacy

Apple's attitude "disturbing", but encryption "back doors" are a bad idea too, claims Chen

BlackBerry CEO John Chen has hit out at Apple over the company's "hardline" attitude to encryption and user privacy.

At the BlackBerry Security Summit in New York this week, Chen said that he is "disturbed" by Apple's approach to encryption and user privacy, warning that the company's attitude could be harmful to society.

It is not the first time that Chen has waded into the debate about device security. In December, Chen criticised Apple over its resistance to government demands to unlock a device. Apple had argued that conceding to the demand would be an "unprecedented step which threatens the security of customers".

Chen remarked: "We are indeed in a dark place when companies put their reputations above the greater good."

Chen was quizzed about his opinion on government requests for user data during BlackBerry's summit this week, and maintained his opinion. "One of our competitors, we call it 'the other fruit company', has an attitude that it doesn't matter how much it might hurt society, they're not going to help," he said.

"I found that disturbing as a citizen. I think BlackBerry, like any company, should have a basic civil responsibility. If the world is in danger, we should be able to help out."

This doesn't mean that BlackBerry is handing out user information willy nilly, though, and Chen pointed out that a lot of "nonsense" has been reported about the company and its approach to such situations.

"Of course, there need to be clear guidelines. The guidelines we've adopted require legal assets. A subpoena for certain data. But if you have the data, you should give it to them," he said.

"There's some complete nonsense about what we can and can't do. People are mad at us that we let the government have the data. It's absolute garbage. We can't do that."

What's more, giving a nod to the impending Investigatory Powers Bill, Chen warned that mandatory back doors aren't a good idea either.

"There's proposed legislation in the US, and I'm sure it will come to the EU, that every vendor needs to provide some form of a back door. That is not going to fly at all. It just isn't," he said.