The government is still waiting for a clear reply from iPhone maker Apple regarding an iPhone alert sent to opposition political leaders around five months ago on alleged hacking of their devices by state-backed hackers. Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar revealed that the government had asked Apple two questions: whether their devices are safe and the reason for sending the alert to opposition members.
Chandrasekhar expressed his opinion that proprietary platforms are unlikely to acknowledge vulnerabilities in their platform. He stated that the answer to the question of whether the iPhones are vulnerable is not entirely clear-cut. While several opposition leaders claimed to have received an alert from Apple warning them of state-sponsored attackers trying to compromise their iPhones remotely, the Indian government does not have the capability to fully understand the iOS system and relies on CERT-In for investigation.
In response to allegations of privacy transgressions and restrictions on free speech, Chandrasekhar emphasized that the government has no intention of infringing upon the fundamental rights of citizens. He acknowledged that free speech is a right but emphasized that it comes with reasonable restrictions, such as not inciting violence or spreading false information.
Regarding the PIB Fact Check unit, which identifies misinformation related to the government, Chandrasekhar clarified that it is not a form of censorship, but rather a tool to support platforms that handle disputed government information. He noted that the government aims to have a lesser role as an arbiter in disputes between consumers and social media platforms, advocating for independent regulation and legal processes to resolve such conflicts.
The government remains committed to ensuring the safety and trustworthiness of the internet while protecting the fundamental rights of citizens. Chandrasekhar dismissed allegations that government actions are politically motivated, asserting that the government’s focus is on upholding the rights of every citizen.
政府仍然在等待iPhone制造商苹果对大约五个月前向反对派政治领导人发送的iPhone警报做出明确回复，该警报称他们的设备被政府支持的黑客攻击。电子和信息技术国务部长Rajeev Chandrasekhar透露，政府向苹果提出了两个问题：他们的设备是否安全，以及向反对派成员发送警报的原因。
Chandrasekhar表示，专有平台不可能承认其平台的漏洞。他指出，对于iPhone是否容易受到攻击的问题，并没有明确的答案。虽然几位反对派领导人声称收到了苹果的警报，警告他们要警惕试图远程破坏他们iPhone的国家支持攻击者，但印度政府没有能力充分理解iOS系统，并依赖于CERT-In进行调查。
对于隐私侵犯和言论限制的指控，Chandrasekhar强调政府没有侵犯公民的基本权利的意图。他承认言论自由是一项权利，但强调言论自由是有合理限制的，比如不煽动暴力或散布虚假信息。
关于PIB事实核查部门，该部门负责辨别与政府有关的错误信息，Chandrasekhar澄清该部门不是一种形式的审查制度，而是一种支持处理有争议的政府信息的平台工具。他指出，政府旨在在消费者和社交媒体平台之间的争端中减少作为仲裁者的角色，并主张通过独立监管和法律程序解决此类冲突。
政府致力于确保互联网的安全性和可信性，同时保护公民的基本权利。Chandrasekhar否认政府的行动具有政治动机的指控，并坚称政府的关注点是维护每个公民的权利。
以下是本文中使用的关键术语或术语的定义:
– iPhone制造商苹果（Apple）: 美国电子产品制造商，以其iPhone智能手机而闻名。
– 政府支持的黑客(state-backed hackers): 政府支持或与政府合作的黑客组织，通常从事网络攻击活动。
– 智能手机(iOS system)：一种具备智能化功能的移动电话设备，iOS是苹果公司开发的操作系统。
– CERT-In: 印度计算机应急响应小组（CERT-In）是印度政府的信息技术安全组织，负责处理网络攻击和漏洞。