Most Americans say Apple should help unlock terror suspect's iPhone

(THE WALL STREET JOURNAL) A slim majority of Americans supports the U.S. government’s effort to get Apple to help unlock a terrorist’s iPhone, according to a new report by Pew Research Center.

In the days following Apple’s refusal to help federal investigators open the phone used by San Bernardino terror suspect Syed Rizwan Farook, Silicon Valley executives raced to show solidarity with the device maker. CEOs from Google’s Sundar Pichai to Twitter'sTWTR -0.05% Jack Dorsey said they stood with Apple in the fight to protect privacy against government’s prying eyes.

But most Americans disagree. Just over half of Americans–51% to be precise–said Apple should unlock the iPhone to assist the ongoing FBI investigation. Fewer (38%) said Apple should not help unlock the phone to ensure the security of other users’ information. Eleven percent didn’t express an opinion.

The survey of 1,002 adults found that the pro-government sentiment cut across political lines: Roughly equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats–56% and 55%, respectively–said that Apple should help unlock the San Bernardino attacker’s iPhone, which is owned by his county-government employer.

The results of the survey highlight a rift between Silicon Valley and the rest of the country. The nearly even numbers of respondents on either side suggests that Americans are deeply divided.

A poll conducted last weekend by online-research company SurveyMonkey Inc. found similar results.