The News Minute | February 28, 2015 | 7.55 PM IST

Calling those who say that only online snooping can prevent terrorism as “scare-mongerers,” Apple CEO Tim Cook has come out in strong words against governments that plan to access private information of people.

Governments and companies have no right to spy on personal electronic data; it is an encroachment into the “basic human right” to privacy, Cook said. He added that any step in this direction would lead to “dire consequences.”

“None of us should accept that the government or a company or anybody should have access to all of our private information. This is a basic human right. We all have a right to privacy. We shouldn't give it up. History has taught us that privacy breaches have resulted in very dire consequences,” reported Daily Mail. 

Though he said that one must do everything to stop terrorism, he refused to the idea of compromising privacy.