WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The American people should "absolutely" still have confidence in their personal privacy despite the government's success in unlocking an Apple iPhone belonging to a shooter in the San Bernardino, California, killings, the White House said on Wednesday.

"The reason they should be confident in that privacy is because there are laws on the books that are assiduously followed ... that protect the privacy of the American people," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters. He added that privacy will be ensured "even as we undertake the necessary actions to protect our national security."

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Susan Heavey; Writing by Megan Cassella; Editing by Doina Chiacu)