Exactly. There’s a big difference between scanning data on my personal devices versus scanning data on cloud devices which are owned by whatever corporation owns those servers. Apple has always scanned iCloud data for CSAM. It just never got much media attention because no one really cared. OK you’re catching bad guys so go ahead
That's not completely true. They scanned iCloud email, but not iCloud photos. That's why FB had in the 20M range of CSAM reports vs. Apples hundreds. Apple execs even said in recently released docs they know they are a big place for CSAM [1].
appleinsider.com
Remotely accessing data on someone’s personal device might be more secure as in preventing hackers but it gives Apple access to those devices and it gives governments access to those devices as well with the proper paperwork. People keep pretending that isn’t there but it is.
Even so this is not a reason to put a backdoor in the iPhone. Basically they’re giving the government access to your iPhone under the premise of protecting children but we both know it will be used for much more than that.That's not completely true. They scanned iCloud email, but not iCloud photos. That's why FB had in the 20M range of CSAM reports vs. Apples hundreds. Apple execs even said in recently released docs they know they are a big place for CSAM [1].
Apple exec said iCloud was the 'greatest platform' for CSAM distribution | AppleInsider
Apple's introduction of CSAM tools may be due to its high level of privacy, with messages submitted during the Epic Games App Store trial revealing Apple's anti-fraud chief thought its services was the "greatest platform for distributing" the material.
The problem is that this same technology could be used for different purposes, which are not that honorable as trying to catch pedophiles. The whole point is that back doors are not good, period. If you want to catch pedophiles, that's good, but don't do it while putting in place a massive data collection from people's smartphones or cloud storage, even if its only the Hash. If for an example a hacker breaches your iCloud password, he could upload this type of indecent images and you will have a hard time explaining to the cops that these photos are not yours. This same technology could also be used for different purposes if you substitute child violence with for example images of political pamphlets. Virtually half the world's population lives under some level of totalitarian regime where only a few care about privacy or democracy, so the iPhone should be a fortress as far as personal information is concerned IMO.
Unfortunately while most people talk about privacy those same people are willing to give up their privacy if the government promises them some form of safety. Unfortunately without any real competition in the smart phone market I believe this to be a lost cause.
I think Google has so many images now that they have already trained their AI. That’s why now they’re charging to store your pictures. It was free before because you were giving them something of value but now they don’t need it anymore
Could you say more about what you mean that since Apple’s focus isn’t CSAM.
Perhaps they are being forced to implement this directly by a government organisation and Apple have little choice over the matter. Maybe this is even a compromise which Apple have negotiated behind closed doors as an alternative to something even more invasive. Who knows! If they don’t back down despite continued backlash and possibly loss of sales then it would seem reasonable to think that this is coming from outside of Apple.
They do have a choice by making it publicly clear why they are doing it by saying it is a government requirement. They didn't hesitate to make public the encryption dispute they had with FBI in 2015-2016.
