Before rushing out to buy your new iPhone 6 today, thinking changes in Apple’s privacy policy will protect you from government snooping, you’d better think again. Same for Google changes. The government still has tools, warns The National Law Journal.

“Apple Inc.’s new privacy policy won’t stop law enforcement officers determined to view encrypted data on iPhones and iPads, according to privacy attorneys,” writes Andrew Ramonas.

However, the technology changes will at least “impose additional burdens,” he acknowledged.

Some media proclaimed that Apple’s changes would offer protection from government and law enforcement through the way it stored customer information.

“Our commitment to protecting your privacy comes from a deep respect for our customers,” Apple CEO Tim Cook declared. “We know that your trust doesn’t come easy. That’s why we have and always will work as hard as we can to earn and keep it.”

On its website, Apple trumpeted its moves.

“Our commitment to customer privacy doesn’t stop because of a government information request,” Apple stated.

“Government information requests are a consequence of doing business in the digital age. We believe in being as transparent as the law allows about what information is requested from us. In addition, Apple has never worked with any government agency from any country to create a ‘back door’ in any of our products or services. We have also never allowed any government access to our servers. And we never will.”

Apple went on to declare:

“On devices running iOS 8, your personal data such as photos, messages (including attachments), email, contacts, call history, iTunes content, notes, and reminders is placed under the protection of your passcode. Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data. So it’s not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8.”

Google is making changes, too, as The Washington Post reported and The National Law Journal acknowledged.

In reported Apple’s move, The Associated Press noted:

“Apple has tightened its technological security so not even the company can pry into a password-protected iPhone or iPad, a move meant to reassure the millions of people who are increasingly storing vital pieces of their lives on the devices.

“The additional safeguard is part of Apple’s latest mobile software, iOS 8, which the Cupertino, California, company released Wednesday. Apple Inc. revealed the stronger protection in a new section of its website that is prefaced with a letter from CEO Tim Cook who emphasized the company’s ‘fundamental’ commitment to privacy and security.”

Are Your Secrets Really Safe?

But in interviews with experts in the field, the legal publication warned that people should not be naive about what the police and three-letter organizations like the super-high-tech National Security Agency can do.

Devices can be seized through warrants.

Decryption is possible.

Passwords are protected from having to be disclosed by the Fifth Amendment.

But are those fingerprints used now for identity confirmation and access protected?

That’s not clear.

So don’t be naive. Read The National Law Journal story.

Remember the details.