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Nothing to see here, we have control of the technology. All is good. You just don't understand it.
 
Could. And in the end that's what it boils down to. Could.

and...

"Apple has strongly pushed back against such a possibility, saying it will refuse any such request from governments."

Some will trust Apple's assertion. Others won't.

Those who don't should VOTE WITH THEIR WALLETS. Of those who don't trust Apple, I suspect a very tiny number will step up and follow through. That requires courage.

.
They use the word “could” because without the system it isn’t happening. Even if the possibility the system would not be abused is only a fraction of a percent they cannot use the word “will”. The reality is with the system it’s only a matter of time. They appear to have done a lot of research in this area and saw the issues with where it will lead. You don’t abandon or recommend no one use tech you spent that much effort building for no reason.
 
For alternatives, you might check out the e Foundation. They are a non-profit group that offers deGoogle Android phones. They started in Europe and offer just one pre-configured basic smartphone for the US. I ordered from them a few weeks back when this started, and the shipping times are getting pushed back. I don’t know if that’s due to supply chain issues, this issue, or simply challenges as a small organization, but I’m going to give it a shot. Just be warned, it’s not going the have Apple-levels of power and convenience. My expectations of a phone are pretty low, so I think I can manage, but your results may vary.
 
Jesus Apple what the hell are you doing. Apologize and reverse your position on this. If you wanna scan iCloud that’s your prerogative, but I will not tolerate scanning MY DEVICES.

I’ve been in the Apple ecosystem for 30 plus years and have paid you countless dollars. If you do this I’m done.
 
For alternatives, you might check out the e Foundation. They are a non-profit group that offers deGoogle Android phones. They started in Europe and offer just one pre-configured basic smartphone for the US. I ordered from them a few weeks back when this started, and the shipping times are getting pushed back. I don’t know if that’s due to supply chain issues, this issue, or simply challenges as a small organization, but I’m going to give it a shot. Just be warned, it’s not going the have Apple-levels of power and convenience. My expectations of a phone are pretty low, so I think I can manage, but your results may vary.
Please let us know how it is once you have tried it for a few days.
 
For alternatives, you might check out the e Foundation. They are a non-profit group that offers deGoogle Android phones. They started in Europe and offer just one pre-configured basic smartphone for the US. I ordered from them a few weeks back when this started, and the shipping times are getting pushed back. I don’t know if that’s due to supply chain issues, this issue, or simply challenges as a small organization, but I’m going to give it a shot. Just be warned, it’s not going the have Apple-levels of power and convenience. My expectations of a phone are pretty low, so I think I can manage, but your results may vary.

what are the shipping times like to Tinagra?
 
CSAM Is a massively bad idea but I doubt Apple will reverse course. They rarely do. I suspect this is being driven by fears of somehow being prosecuted for "storing” illegal materials on their server even if they have no control over it and have no access to the content.
 
If they don’t cancel this I’m seriously going to have to look at alternative products, which saddens me.

What is the alternative? Android? That is far from a privacy haven as well. Is there a third mobile operating system with a healthy app ecosystem?

I understand that we don't trust Apple to necessarily continue to do the right thing with regard to future government intrusions, but today in 2021, I trust Apple more than I trust Google. So on the balance of those two, I am not sure where else I can turn.
 
When this first announced I was all for it. Catch creeps and stop some young peoples future reputation and feelings being destroyed.
Now after some thought, I feel like this is dangerous as any technological advancement we’ve had.
the idea that they are going to do a “google” and basically use this current topic “save the children” to build up this all powerful tool at the expense of all that is possible - it’s actually beyond disturbing - and we pay them all that money for the privilege?
 
Only problem is Androud is really your only alternative and that may not be any better for your privacy.
Another alternative might be to spend the $ towards a laptop/desktop and a landline.

The cost from a cell plan also adds up, and when applied towards a computer, could provide some serious upgrades.

In a lockdown world, mobile is niche… and boring.
 
"A foreign government could, for example, compel a service to out people sharing disfavored political speech. That's no hypothetical: WeChat, the popular Chinese messaging app, already uses content matching to identify dissident material. India enacted rules this year that could require pre-screening content critical of government policy. Russia recently fined Google, Facebook and Twitter for not removing pro-democracy protest materials."

Without taking a side in this, none of those things in the above warning could be forced on Apple with what Apple says they're doing. Apple has a list of hashes and they're checking images uploaded to iCloud to see if they match that hash. WeChat's content matching would require text content analysis — totally different. The India example appears to be the same kind of thing (or maybe a requirement for human pre-screening, which is more different still). And the Russia example is where Russia identified posts or pictures and demanded they be removed; which is absolutely not the same thing.

So... this article seems to be people urging Apple not to proceed with its plans, based on warnings that have little to do with what Apple is actually doing.
 
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