A new case involving the cloak and dagger departments of the US government and several tech companies, including Apple and Microsoft, is on the spotlight today as the two sides continue to battle each other over private communications on certain individuals. Apple has refused to hand over specific real time text messages on iMessage because the encryption system stops them from doing so. According to a report from the NY Times, the order was for an investigation involving guns and drugs.

FBI Director James Comey specifically pointed out Apple's decision to include end to end encryption in its iOS8 that prevents them from taking a look at any user's message. Consequently, since Apple and other tech companies like Google are not considered telecom companies, they are not covered by the country's wiretap laws. In fact, the two tech giants teamed up for the first time to appeal to the Obama administration regarding the importance of information encryption.

Meanwhile, the government is currently concentrating on the case against Microsoft for refusing access to overseas email servers. A federal judge issued a warrant and ordered the company to comply back in 2014. Microsoft is appealing the decision as this may open the floodgates that would allow foreign governments access to US consumer data. The US court of Appeals will start hearing arguments about the case today.

The governments ability to snoop on any of its citizen's private life became a national interest when Edward Snowden revealed how it is done by the NSA. The government's argument focuses on national security and how they are able to prevent attacks and catch perpetrators by using a piece of legislature that allow them to snoop on any individual's life. On the other hand, there is real danger as to how they may also abuse it. Luckily, tech giants who both have influence and power, are still on the side of privacy. Just how and to what extent can the law peek into your private life? Here's a video from LastWeekTonight's YouTube channel.