Hackers are attempting to thwart the contract between Apple and AT&T and steal intellectual property, according to former FCC commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth at the New York Sun on Monday.

The thesis was that Apple and AT&T have entered, of their own free will, into a mutually beneficial contract. In similar cases, such as the agreement J.K. Rowling has with Scholastic, no one has approved of pirates.

"Last week, a series of newspaper articles described several individuals around the world who engaged in dubious activities such as the hacking of the iPhone’s specialized software, the breach of Apple’s and AT&T’s intellectual property, and the interference with these companies’ exclusivity contract. A common judgmental theme of the articles was that Apple had erred in its exclusive contract with AT&T," wrote Harold Furchtgott-Roth.

"...descriptions of hackers attacking Apple, AT&T, and their contract often lionized the thieves," he continued and concluded that moral standards are in trouble. "Increasingly, in news coverage of stories about advanced telecommunications such as the Internet and wireless services, traditional moral standards about the sanctity of property and contracts are eroding. People who are appalled at shoplifting may admire those who hack into new technologies."

Mr. Furchtgott-Roth had the opinion that the celebration of the assault on this agreement, assaults on corporate measures to enforce it, and the resulting thievery will incur a price in the future. Soon, companies may be reluctant to bring to market their offerings, protected by such agreements, fearing that their work will be undone, and as a result, consumers will suffer.

"...will property and contracts be looted by thieves encouraged by a myopic public? Only time will tell," the former FCC Commissioner concluded.