Let John Oliver Break Down The Apple Encryption Controversy For You

Thanks to John Oliver, you can now finally stop pretending you understand the San Bernardino shooter/Apple/FBI encryption debacle.

The Last Week Tonight host mercifully broke down the finer points of the case last night, including why we have encryption in the first place (to protect our dick pics) and how it also has a downside: that criminals can use it to disguise illegal activities.

Enter the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, which the U.S. government is asking Apple to hack into. “This is not simple; it’s a hugely complicated story with massive implications,” Oliver says in the 18-minute segment. “An encrypted phone is not really like a bank or a safe. If you penetrate a safe you’ve only penetrated that safe. but a code to open a phone could be modified to open many, many more phones.”

He goes on to discuss the global ramifications of the FBI’s order being fulfilled by Apple, which could set a broad precedent for other criminal cases in the U.S. and abroad. And of course, makes his point with signature witticism.

“Think of the government as your dad,” Oliver says. “If he asks you to help him with his iPhone, be careful because if you do it once you’re gonna be doing it 14 times a day.”

Watch the full video here: