Apple CEO Tim Cook reiterated that the U.S. government had no backdoor access to Apple servers and that the company intended to press the Congress for more transparency in the PRISM surveillance program.
The government's controversial PRISM surveillance program has definitely built a lot of hype since NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked the confidential documents to the media. Tech companies have since been pushing the government for greater transparency.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is opposed to the government's mandate for secrecy about the data requests but is forced by law to keep things discreet.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News' David Muir, Cook revealed that the government has no backdoor access to Apple servers, but feels the need "to be significantly more transparent" about the data that is shared with the government and the number of people and accounts affected with such requests.
"Much of what has been said isn't true," Cook told ABC News in an interview aired Friday. "There is no back door. The government doesn't have access to our servers. They would have to cart us out in a box for that - and that just will not happen. We feel that, strongly about it."
Cook further stressed that he would press the U.S. Congress for more transparency.
"We need to say what data is being given, how many people it affects, how many accounts are affected. We need to be clear and we have a gag order on us right now, and so, we can't say those things," he said.
Cook spoke candidly about the U.S. government secrecy but he did not spill the beans about the company's future plans on the business side. He deflected all questions on future technology plans for iPhone 6 and iWatch.
"Secrecy is part of the culture," he said. "It's part of the excitement at Apple, too, is it not?"
