Bill Gates says he doesn't completely side with the FBI or with Apple in the privacy debate

Microsoft founder Bill Gates weighed in Tuesday on the fight between the FBI and Apple over whether the government would set a dangerous precedent in unlocking the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone without Apple's consent.

"You don't just want to take the minute after a terrorist event and swing that direction, nor do you, in general, want to completely swing away from government access when you get some abuse being revealed," Gates said, appearing to back away from directly choosing a side. "I do believe there are sets of safeguards where the government shouldn't have to be completely blind."

The debate, Gates added, isn't about creating a "backdoor" to the iPhone. It's about determining when the government has "a right to know."

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