Facebook caught in privacy debate after arrest of executive in Brazil - CNET

Apple isn't the only tech company sparring with law enforcement over privacy.

A Facebook executive was arrested by Brazilian federal police Tuesday for not tuing over information from a WhatsApp account that linked to a drug trafficking investigation.

Diego Dzodan, a vice president for the Menlo Park, Califoia-based company, was taken into custody because of "repeated non-compliance with court orders," according to a statement from police, translated from Portuguese. Brazilian authorities could hold him for a week or more, according to The New York Times.

At stake is what the tech industry believes is its duty to safeguard the privacy of its users, while law enforcement officials say they need access to data as a matter of national security and law. Apple is embroiled in a similar episode -- a high-profile battle in the United States against the FBI for data from an iPhone used by a terrorist in the San Beardino, Califoia, shootings in December.

Facebook is expected to file an amicus brief in support of Apple this week, along with Google, Twitter and Microsoft.