Apple’s plan to scan phones for child abuse worries privacy advocates
Apple for years has focused on adding new programs to its phones, all designed to make life easier. Its systems scan emails for new calendar appointments, and its Siri voice assistant suggests to call friends on their birthdays. But Apple’s latest feature is focused on abuse.
The tech giant said in a new section of its website published Thursday that it plans to add scanning software to its iPhones, iPads, Mac computers and Apple Watches when the new iOS 15, iPad OS 15, MacOS Monterey and WatchOS 8 operating systems all launch in the fall. The new program, which Apple said is designed to “limit the spread of child sexual abuse material” is part of a new collaboration between the company and child safety experts.
Who is not for child safety? …but this starts to over-reach into personal space. It will be interesting to see how the market response. I for one will opt out if possible.
What exactly does “the program will also ‘intervene’ when users try to search for child abuse-related topics” mean? Will this include searching for the re-offense rates of child abusers/CP? Will this include searching for prevention of child abuse/CP? Will this include searching for any data related to child abuse/CP?
I have nothing to hide however there is a principle here – There is enough spying going on from the government without a company like Apple doing even more (and doubtless supplying private data/info to the government)! I bought a device and expect privacy – clearly an outdated concept these days…or they would like to be believe.
Well F U Apple – the iPhone that I am currently using will the last one I ever own as well as the iPad which will be replaced with a non-Apple tablet. BYE
TRUTH, it’s not that you have nothing to hide, your molehills are no longer private and are now open to inspection and interpretation.
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110524/00084614407/privacy-is-not-secrecy-debunking-if-youve-got-nothing-to-hide-argument.shtml
https://www.wired.com/2013/06/why-i-have-nothing-to-hide-is-the-wrong-way-to-think-about-surveillance/
It’s profitable for the U.S Government to circumvent privacy (for obvious reasons).
Sex offender truth
My Phone is so old, that I have to crank a handle to turn in on. The the telegraph lady (Last one left on earth) transfers my messages and calls through the telephone line. Takes about a week for my call to reach California.
On a real note, I am surprised my phone still works. It stopped doing updates in 2019
So, Say this software “Was Allowed” to be installed in EVERY Apple product in use today, What would stop “Police (Anyone that can Access)” from using this Software to “SNOOP AROUND” in ANYONE’S/ EVERY (forced) REGISTERED CITIZENS !?!???!?!?!!!!?. I see this as a way for “Big Brother” to EASILY PLANT EVIDENCE INTO ANYONE’S PHONE/EMAILS/COMPUTER !!!!. And I also see a HUGE DECLINE in “Apple” Stocks/sales, Because NOBODY is going to buy a item that can EASILY BE SEARCHED without a Warrant). Yes I know “Big Brother” can already hack our Cellphone !!!.
I can only think if they can see your information and check for child abuse wich seems like a very vague statement me. They can surely place stuff in your email. I can see this kind of technology being used by law enforcement. To “search” for child abuse and finding lots of other things they want. I dont see much good coming out if this.
That is a very vague statement and therefore very dangerous!
It’s like the book 1984…only its the corporations working along side of government to terminate our rights.
I knew Google scans my emails for calendar appointments and exhorting coupons or offers. I guess I never considered how much privacy I was giving up for the sake of convenience.
Will they be scanning for for intent to commit other crimes in the future? This is kinda scary.
I have not used Google for many years now. I used DuckDuckGo for my default search engine and Firefox for my browser.
I do not use any cloud based email (hotmail, aol, gmail) but rather operate my own private server (hosted out of the jurisdiction of the USA gov) on my personal website.
NO Social Media accounts (for countless reasons – privacy being just one)!
Thanks for posting my story submission.
When I read it, I really could not make heads or tails out of what they are going to do with this, but it doesn’t sound good. Regardless if anyone is looking at porn or not, it reeks of “Big Brother” and the sanctity of the rights of privacy.
Well Apple can kiss a lot of their business down the drain. The majority of people don’t like the idea of snooping around in their personal life, and this is a major occurrence of just that. Doesn’t matter if they’re perfect law abiding citizens, it’s simply the principal of the fact.
Even before all this, I’ve never liked a CRAPple product. But this certainly goes against all their touting their previous privacy policies.
Derek
Not sure if you remember this, but a few year back, they busted Alexa, Siri and couple of other devices for being hacked. Kids would be playing with their toys and yell “Mom, some man is talking to me on the Alexa”.
So who is to say, with this software, what some rogue employee could do with it.
Again, the NCMEC exists mainly because of John Walsh. They are the ones responsible for strong-arming and nagging Apple into they caved. Who stands to benefit the most from this? The NCMEC, U.S. Marshals, the local sheriffs and the local media that loves to feature this garbage. And anyone that is against this practice will conveniently be outed as a “pedo sympathizer.”
So now the registry is going to be even MORE bloated than it already is with people on it for non-violent, non-contact offenses. In fact, CP offensives will most likely take over the largest percentage.
I strongly encourage anyone with an iPhone or Samsung to revert back to a “burner” flip-phone because this is just the beginning people..
The registry is going to be more bloated with a lot of the keyboard warriors who like to leave comments on news articles about how they’d like to see a sex offender “hanged, lynched, shot”, etc. and in my opinion- GOOD! They’ll get a taste of what it’s like to be on the receiving end of their hatred and ignorance. Apple claims that pics of your own kids looking all cute while taking a bath will not trigger the software. Ha! Sure it won’t.
It was a thing back in the day to take pics of babies getting baths in the kitchen sink because babies fit in the kitchen sink. No reason to fill up a huge bath tub for a tiny person.
Can’t wait for all the keyboard warriors to end up getting that knock on their doors. Karma.
‘Facts Should Matter’…
Just to Clarify…it is iOS Mobile and iOS Cloud , not Android (Samsung)…
The Technology is called ‘HASHING’
For Images, Photos, and the Like…it is NOT 100% Accurate…there is generally a fault rate of less than 1%…so it is not perfect; unlike on numerical or alpha-numerical sequences….so therein lies the PROBLEM…
..the algorithms create lots of false positives…
Goodbye Iphone hello Android……
All the books I was required to read as a kid: Animal Farm, Scarlet Letter, 1984, and others are looking more realistic every year. If we can’t stand up for people who we hate and their rights, won’t be long before all of our rights are gone. The citizens have allowed politicians, law enforcement, and government officials to get away with it. At what point will people get out of their fantasies and see all that’s happening now.
This seems like an Apple/Mac version of the cops Torrential Downpour program. They can arbitrarily scan any connection to their software and “find” “suspicious” files or material. Complete over reach, breach of privacy on Apple’s part but I don’t know that it is all that different from the way CP is “found” using Torrential Downpour or other software law enforcement uses. Maybe the difference is you know Apple is monitoring you? It’s all suspect of breach of privacy in my opinion. I don’t know how the sanctity of the “home” and privacy related to it has been eaten away at so easily aside from the highly emotional subject of sexual abuse.
Just wait until young people start getting caught sending or possessing naughty pictures of themselves in their phones…..i bet parents have no idea what is about to unfold.
Hopefully Apple stock plummet when more customers disagreeing with this policy get rid of Apple all together. Why invest in a company that abuses customer’s privacy for a slippery slope?