FBI Director James Comey said government and the tech industry need to sort out their differences over encryption before "something terrible happens" that would make productive conversations impossible.

Acknowledging that talks will probably have to wait until a new president takes office next year, Comey said that it's up to the American people - not the FBI or the tech companies- to decide how to resolve the issue. But before making that decision, people need to understand the cost of absolute privacy.

Comey made the comments Tuesday at the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York, an event jointly held by the FBI and Fordham University.

The encryption debate took center stage earlier this year after the FBI demanded that Apple Inc. help it access an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.

Apple vowed a court fight, but the matter was ultimately dropped after a third-party provided the FBI with a way to access the phone's information.

The FBI and other law enforcement maintain that without a so-called "back door" through strong encryption, investigators can't get access to potentially crucial information. But much of the tech industry and privacy advocates counter that creating a back door would undermine security for everyone.

FBI Director James Comey said government and the tech industry need to sort out their differences over encryption before "something terrible happens" that would make productive conversations impossible.

Acknowledging that talks will probably have to wait until a new president takes office next year, Comey said that it's up to the American people - not the FBI or the tech companies- to decide how to resolve the issue. But before making that decision, people need to understand the cost of absolute privacy.

Comey made the comments Tuesday at the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York, an event jointly held by the FBI and Fordham University.

The encryption debate took center stage earlier this year after the FBI demanded that Apple Inc. help it access an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.

Apple vowed a court fight, but the matter was ultimately dropped after a third-party provided the FBI with a way to access the phone's information.

The FBI and other law enforcement maintain that without a so-called "back door" through strong encryption, investigators can't get access to potentially crucial information. But much of the tech industry and privacy advocates counter that creating a back door would undermine security for everyone.

FBI Director James Comey said government and the tech industry need to sort out their differences over encryption before "something terrible happens" that would make productive conversations impossible.

Acknowledging that talks will probably have to wait until a new president takes office next year, Comey said that it's up to the American people - not the FBI or the tech companies- to decide how to resolve the issue. But before making that decision, people need to understand the cost of absolute privacy.

Comey made the comments Tuesday at the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York, an event jointly held by the FBI and Fordham University.

The encryption debate took center stage earlier this year after the FBI demanded that Apple Inc. help it access an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.

Apple vowed a court fight, but the matter was ultimately dropped after a third-party provided the FBI with a way to access the phone's information.

The FBI and other law enforcement maintain that without a so-called "back door" through strong encryption, investigators can't get access to potentially crucial information. But much of the tech industry and privacy advocates counter that creating a back door would undermine security for everyone.

New York - July 27, 2016

1. James Comey, Director Federal Bureau of Investigation, walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, Director Federal Bureau of Investigation:

"At some point encryption is going to figure in a major event in this country. We have to have the conversation before that happens because after that happens, the time for thoughtful reflection will be significantly reduced. And this is a hard conversation. It's a conflict of two values that we all share."

3. Wide Comey speaking

4. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, Director Federal Bureau of Investigation:

"And I'm not here to tell you what the answer is to resolve this problem, but one thing we have to recognize, is that moving to a place where huge swaths of American life are by default out of reach of judicial authority is a different way to live. We've never lived that way before. And it destroys the balance that our founders struck, and maybe that's okay, or maybe that's terrible. That is not for the FBI to say. The FBI's job is to tell the American people when the tools you are counting on us to use to protect you aren't working so much anymore, we need to shout from the rooftops. But the FBI should not tell people what the answer is, nor should companies that make amazing equipment. They should not be telling the American people how to solve this problem. The American people should be figuring out how they want to be governed. But that conversation has to be informed by and understanding of the costs of absolute privacy."

5. Zoom in Comey speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, Director Federal Bureau of Investigation:

"So I hope you'll join in that conversation which will probably be, we'll have to wait until after the election to have the space in American life to have that conversation, that's fine. But we will continue collecting data so we can have that informed conversation next year."

7. Wide pan press cameras as Comey closes speech

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

POOL

Washington - 1 March 2016

1. FBI Director James Comey walking into hearing room

2. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Thank you for hosting this conversation and for helping us all talk about an issue that I believe is the hardest issue I've confronted in government, which is how to balance the privacy we so treasure, that comes to us through the technology that we love. And also achieve public safety which we also all very much treasure."

3. Cutaway of hearing

4. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

++SOUNDBITE INCLUDES CUTAWAYS++

"Two terrorists in the name of ISIL killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at an office gathering, and left behind three phones - two of which, the cheaper models, they smashed beyond use, and the third was left locked. In any investigation that's done competently, the FBI would try to get access to that phone. It's important that it's a live ongoing terrorism investigation, but in any criminal investigation, a competent investigator would try and use all lawful tools to get access to that device. And that's what you see happening in San Bernardino. The San Bernardino case is about that case. It obviously highlights the broader issue and of course it will be looked upon by other judges and other litigants, but it is about the case."

5. Cutaway of hearing

6. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There are no demons in this debate. The companies are not evil. The government is not evil. You have a whole lot of good people who see the world through different lenses, who care about things - all care about the same things in my view. The companies care about public safety. The FBI cares about innovation and privacy. We devote our lives to trying to stop people from stealing our innovation, our secrets, and hacking into our devices. We care about the same things, which should make this in a way an easier conversation."

7. Cutaway of hearing

8. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Sure potentially, because any decision of a court about a matter is potentially useful to other courts, which is what a precedent is. I happen to think, having talked to experts, there are technical limitations to how useful this particular San Bernardino technique will be, given how the phones have changed. But sure, other courts, other prosecutors, other lawyers for companies, will look to that for guidance or to try and distinguish it."

9. Cutaway of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There's already a door on that iPhone. Essentially, we're asking Apple - take the vicious guard dog away. Let us try and pick the lock."

11. Cutaway of hearing

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus049739

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus049739

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

POOL

Washington - 1 March 2016

1. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Thank you for hosting this conversation and for helping us all talk about an issue that I believe is the hardest issue I've confronted in government, which is how to balance the privacy we so treasure, that comes to us through the technology that we love. And also achieve public safety which we all very much treasure."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Two terrorists in the name of ISIL killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at an office gathering, and left behind three phones - two of which, the cheaper models, they smashed beyond use, and the third was left locked. In any investigation that's done competently, the FBI would try to get access to that phone. It's important that it's a live ongoing terrorism investigation, but in any criminal investigation, a competent investigator would try and use all lawful tools to get access to that device."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There are no demons in this debate. The companies are not evil. The government is not evil. You have a whole lot of good people who see the world through different lenses, who care about things - all care about the same things in my view."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Sure potentially, because any decision of a court about a matter is potentially useful to other courts, which is what a precedent is. I happen to think, having talked to experts, there are technical limitations to how useful this particular San Bernardino technique will be, given how the phones have changed. But sure, other courts, other prosecutors, other lawyers for companies, will look to that for guidance or to try to distinguish it."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There's already a door on that iPhone. Essentially, we're asking Apple - take the vicious guard dog away. Let us try and pick the lock."