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I don’t agree with this. Apple says they will not scan photos if iCloud is turned off but if they can scan photos with iCloud turned on then they can scan those same photos with iCloud turned off.

I think you’re confusing what Apple says they will do with what Apple is capable of doing. Those are two different things. Apple may be may have all the intention to do what they claim they’re going to do if you believe they’re being honest. The problem is Apple will comply with the demands of any country they do business in. If they have the capability to do something even it’s not something they say they’re going to do but just having that capability means they will do it when a Country demands they do so.

I think I mentioned it in earlier post but the FBI demanded Apple unlock certain iPhones. They didn’t and I think still don’t have that capability. If they had that capability even if it was for a different purpose say for instance they had the capability to unlock your iPhone if you forgot the pin number. It’s the same here while Apple may honestly intend this for CSAM (which I don’t believe) it will be used for other things by the demands of certain countries.

Don’t confuse what they’re saying they’re going to do with what capabilities they have. Right now after this update they will have the capability to remotely access photos and messages on your iPhone. It’s possible they have more access but we don’t know this. How they use that access is going to depend on the situation.
It would not bother me if the fbi could get in to phones they confiscated with a warrant, wouldn’t bother me if Apple helped them do it… I just consider this a different thing altogether because we are talking about warrantless surveillance
 
I don’t think android will be any more private. How do you know Google hasn’t done this already and haven’t told anyone. I think Apple was just a bit scared to do it in secret. I’m sure they thought about it but figured it would really bite them in the rear later if they did this in secret and got caught somehow. I mean as to my personal choice of a phone it does make me feel that Apple or the iPhone isn’t the only choice anymore since it’s not secure but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to jump to android. It’s an alternative now versus before it wasn’t.
The point is you can make Android more private. I've had Google services and apps either disabled or uninstalled for years. I don't use Play Store. Battery life benefits and so does stability. You'd be amazed and concerned if you knew what Play Services does in the background!
 
It would not bother me if the fbi could get in to phones they confiscated with a warrant, wouldn’t bother me if Apple helped them do it… I just consider this a different thing altogether because we are talking about warrantless surveillance
Well from my perspective of someone living in the USA that’s probably correct. The difference is not everyone lives in the USA. In the USA for the most part they have to have some reason to get a warrant. Other countries “let me see what’s on the phone now” is a warrant. I think there are a lot of people out there that live in these countries that depend on iPhone for secure communication. Hopefully they find a decent replacement.

I do understand what you’re saying though because they’re looking through your phone without some sort of probable cause or warrant. It’s equivalent of searching everyone’s house for drugs to catch the bad guys or just search people you have a reasonable suspicion of.

The sad thing is this will do nothing to stop CSAM. According to what Apple is saying (if you believe them) they are only checking against known CSAM. That means if someone is using their iPhone to create CSAM or distribute newly created CSAM it won’t even be detected. It doesn’t have any kind of AI that smartly detects what’s in the photo but just checks it against a hash of known photographs they have an already on file.

Like I said I don’t think this has anything to do with CSAM but rather pressure from governments to install a backdoor on the iPhone. Maybe China will finally get the Hong Kong protesters situation under control 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️😂
 
The point is you can make Android more private. I've had Google services and apps either disabled or uninstalled for years. I don't use Play Store. Battery life benefits and so does stability. You'd be amazed and concerned if you knew what Play Services does in the background!
How much of a pain is android without the App Store? I couldn’t imagine iPhone without the iPhone App Store.
 
There are plenty of alternative app stores out there, such as open-source-friendly F-droid, or stores such as SlideME, Aptoide, or whatever. You can sideload apps by the APK file easily.

I keep the internet connection turned off via an app for everything Google, so banking and shopping apps which depend on Google Play Services can still run, they just can't phone home for update checks, or talk to Google. Just disabling those services can break a lot of apps, sadly.

I've used the same apps since Android 2.3, which replaced an iPhone long ago. They're all backed up on an NAS at home that never sees the internet, and I just sideload all those APKs to whatever phone I'm using, and it works fine, even on modern versions of Android. Weather, messages, gallery, music apps, all my photos and MP3s. I don't replace what works for me, no matter how 'outdated' it is.
 
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The point is you can make Android more private. I've had Google services and apps either disabled or uninstalled for years. I don't use Play Store. Battery life benefits and so does stability. You'd be amazed and concerned if you knew what Play Services does in the background!
Well I certainly can’t participate in an android discussion because I’m clueless….. wish the media grasped the core issues surrounding this and at least asked the hard questions so we could get some sunlight on it. The only thing I can say for sure is any kind of code on my phone actually looking for illegal content for the purposes of passing it on to law enforcement is a breach of trust and privacy….. google states it’s all about ad revenue for them, that doesn’t mean it can’t be used nefariously but it is their business model so you kinda gotta look at it through that lens…… I maybe able to accept a certain amount of data mining if I understood it was being used solely to serve me relevant ads…. I let Facebook do it for years, the red line they crossed that made me leave was censorship and embracemeant of one political party over another…. Twitter also lost me by joining the dnc. But anyway… different topic… Apple has clearly crossed the line…. Jury still out on google for me… I don’t trust them but they have not done anything that compels me to pull the plug….. Apple is getting ready to compel that
 
I agree, which is why I switched back to Android (and Linux). I also ran Avast BreachGuard, and I was amazed what data my single email address had on it, and had it erase all of it (It was used and sold to a ton of third parties I'd never heard of!) which took over 48 hours to do. Was worth it in the end and now I'm extremely careful what I do online, and actually read ToS these days!

Apple has been bugging me a lot lately, with their crazy addiction to flat UI design since iOS 7, to constantly nagging me to update apps or the system on my Apple TV or my iPhone 6S I used for a short time, where I just said 'screw this' and went to any open source system that gives me control and lets me use my apps in peace.

While a Fire TV stick is nothing like an Apple TV, I was able to get quite close by daisy-chaining three routers, and a range extender together to keep it working 100%. No update nags, my apps and services just work as I prefer. I open Netflix, or Paramount+ and enjoy, no nags, no muss no fuss.
 
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Basically, you are living in fantasy land? Apple has limited immunity which make winning cases against providers like Apple very hard.

it's highly YMMV... but if someone is going to be wronged by a company, better make sure it's by a large company with lots of money. also, finding the right attorney is also extremely important.

my sister's boyfriend at a questionable steak at a famous steakhouse chain. He became violent ill a few hours later. He spent over 5 hours at the ER. He got better the very next day. A few weeks later, his parents found an attorney who filed a claim against the steakhouse. After two months, they settled for a little over $170,000. It was enough to pay for his college tuition for 4 years.
 
There are plenty of alternative app stores out there, such as open-source-friendly F-droid, or stores such as SlideME, Aptoide, or whatever. You can sideload apps by the APK file easily.

I keep the internet connection turned off via an app for everything Google, so banking and shopping apps which depend on Google Play Services can still run, they just can't phone home for update checks, or talk to Google. Just disabling those services can break a lot of apps, sadly.

I've used the same apps since Android 2.3, which replaced an iPhone long ago. They're all backed up on an NAS at home that never sees the internet, and I just sideload all those APKs to whatever phone I'm using, and it works fine, even on modern versions of Android. Weather, messages, gallery, music apps, all my photos and MP3s. I don't replace what works for me, no matter how 'outdated' it is.
I may have to contact you again if the switch happens, sounds like you have a good handle on it, I like to keep things simple, if I can feel secure then I’m good with it…. To be honest I don’t even know what Microsoft is up to these days, I only use my windows laptop for astronomy work but could see using it more if I give up my iPad Pro…plus I’m still thinking if I don’t upgrade to ios15 and keep iCloud turned off I have a little time to see how all of this plays out
 
I appreciate the KISS strategy, but I also love to learn and tinker, and I love a challenge. I also don't like things being closed off and dumbed down or 'to protect the user from him/herself'. I hate and despise idiot proofing of any kind. Big Sur took it to a level I could no longer accept.

Basically once my devices are set up the way I like, with the bad stuff turned off, and all updates disabled (I can't stand relearning an app over and over again and I still cling to skeuomorphism as it's just fun and easier on my eyes) I just leave it alone, 'set it and forget it' type of use. I then enjoy it and use it until it ceases to function.

Since I've been using the same app versions for years, and the same apps, I can probably use them blind. All the taps and where they are, are part of my muscle memory and it keeps efficiency up.
 
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Well from my perspective of someone living in the USA that’s probably correct. The difference is not everyone lives in the USA. In the USA for the most part they have to have some reason to get a warrant. Other countries “let me see what’s on the phone now” is a warrant. I think there are a lot of people out there that live in these countries that depend on iPhone for secure communication. Hopefully they find a decent replacement.

I do understand what you’re saying though because they’re looking through your phone without some sort of probable cause or warrant. It’s equivalent of searching everyone’s house for drugs to catch the bad guys or just search people you have a reasonable suspicion of.

The sad thing is this will do nothing to stop CSAM. According to what Apple is saying (if you believe them) they are only checking against known CSAM. That means if someone is using their iPhone to create CSAM or distribute newly created CSAM it won’t even be detected. It doesn’t have any kind of AI that smartly detects what’s in the photo but just checks it against a hash of known photographs they have an already on file.

Like I said I don’t think this has anything to do with CSAM but rather pressure from governments to install a backdoor on the iPhone. Maybe China will finally get the Hong Kong protesters situation under control 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️😂
Yeah, I’m under the opinion csam is just a Trojan horse on this… no proof but I’ve read several older articles this week that states pretty much unequivocally that law enforcement uses child endangerment as part of any request they make to tech companies because it’s just something that is considered so egregious that no one can defend. Imho they can search the cloud all day long, it’s just the on device searches that are not acceptable. I guess I’ve typed that statement a million times this week
 
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What has bothered me probably the most this week is that Tim Cook interview , if you listen to what he says you would think. Omg he gets it and he will reverse this, I mean he actually says Apple should not invent stuff like this and also says it’s not just what they do, it’s the public perception of what they do that makes some stuff off limits……. Now I do know this is probably out of context and these words were probably picked to slam Facebook etc….. but to hear him say it and then go forward with this makes him the biggest hypocrite and liar …... do as I say, not as I do
 
What concerns me is that it begins with "will someone please think of the children" but later becomes violations of freedom of speech or expression, and gets used to single out protesting governments, or alternative media.

"To think we've come so far, Mr. Worf...The torture of heretics; burning of witches...and before you can even blink an eye...it threatens to start up all over again.."

"....Vigilance...that's the price we must continually pay!"

~ Star Trek: The Next Generation, "The Drumhead"
 
What concerns me is that it begins with "will someone please think of the children" but later becomes violations of freedom of speech or expression, and gets used to single out protesting governments, or alternative media.

"To think we've come so far, Mr. Worf...The torture of heretics; burning of witches...and before you can even blink an eye...it threatens to start up all over again.."

"....Vigilance...that's the price we must continually pay!"

~ Star Trek: The Next Generation, "The Drumhead"
It really was not that long ago I dismissed slippery slope theories…. But when you pay attention the give an inch they take a mile, has proven to be very true…. Every small battle people win does not satisfy… it emboldens for the next fight…… so I no longer criticize people for standing their ground on the smallest… even petty issues… they are most likely seeing the battles beyond. I think lots of people trying to give Apple a pass on this might benefit by looking at the big picture
 
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Because governments to include the US government have been pressuring Apple to do this. It’s not good when you have your subjects using a method of communication that’s very difficult for you to intercept. The less democratic government is the worse it is.

Apple isn’t worried about financial loss because other than a short-lived outrage there’s nothing consumers will or can do. Apple knows this. There is no other privacy focused alternative. And in a sad way I think it’s funny that all these people were worshiping Apple like it was some sort of charity now realize it’s just a corporation designed to make money. I love Apple products but Apple as a corporation and Tim as a CEO isn’t any different than Google or Facebook ethically.


If you haven’t seen this video it’s a good watch. Just wait till Renee and Georgia finish a little bit of chitter chatter she straight up goes off on Apple. Renee is just sitting there looking like oh crap there goes my friendly relationship with Apple

Have seen it and it is a good. :cool:
 
When you think back a few short years I could never quite understand why people down my way were fighting so hard to keep the confederate flag flying, I mean what it had become had me thinking it should come down also…. But now statues are torn down, renaming military bases,trying to sandblast confederate figures from Stone Mountain…. Basically an effort to completely erase history…. I think at this point I would rather they still be fighting over the flag….. just an example of how things progress. Some think what Apple is doing is minor…. Once apple does this the big battles are coming and Many will be lost simply because of this one small step Apple is taking today
 
Around here the stars and bars have been replaced with endless 'Trump 2020' and 'Trump Train' flags.

But I agree. There's an old Star Trek Voyager episode "Memorial' about the effects of erasing history if it's too 'harsh' to remember. I especially love the debate over disabling the monument that Janeway has with the crew. Great points all around.

"Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it"
 
How much of a pain is android without the App Store? I couldn’t imagine iPhone without the iPhone App Store.
I guess I’m old… I remember installing apps and games on my iPod touch before the App Store existed, apple could shut it down completely and I promise it would be simple and easy to get anything you wanted on your phone, in many ways the jailbreak community showed Apple what was possible…. I honestly don’t think Jobs foresaw how big the iPhone app market would become…. He probably initially thought all the apps anyone would need would be created and controlled by Apple.
 
Around here the stars and bars have been replaced with endless 'Trump 2020' and 'Trump Train' flags.

But I agree. There's an old Star Trek Voyager episode "Memorial' about the effects of erasing history if it's too 'harsh' to remember. I especially love the debate over disabling the monument that Janeway has with the crew. Great points all around.
It’s a dangerous path… firmly believe that people who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it…. It’s a challenge for people not to repeat it even when they do learn. But anyway… although you can say this is unchartered territory, it’s not hard to see how it will go…..lots of conversations will reference this point in time when discussing privacy breaches in the future
 
I'm old just because I'm like the only man left who keeps all his songs, photos, and files on his phone, and doesn't do the cloud.

Even Steve Jobs believed in '1,000 songs in your pocket'. What happened? Does everyone have truly unlimited data and signal 100% of places they go? Or tons of battery? Because I have to install radios in vehicles and people can't imagine life without Pandora so I hear ads and cutting out music and error alerts at work all the time so much I pity them. It's like browsing without adblock, unfathomable.

Worse yet the boss washes cars next to the shop so I often hear her music also cutting in and out all the time (she only knows Pandora, doesn't understand the concept of local storage).

Which is why Apple won't lose customers with this thing. Because that's the type of customer they cater too--the ignorant masses. Not people like me and other smart folks who are being deemed obsolete in the new world order.
 
Honestly, this most likely isn’t the case. Apple has had iCloud scanning in their privacy policy since May 2019. They must do CSAM scanning as part of their normal routine procedure or have law enforcement with search warrant. If law enforcement just asks for CSAM scan then they would have conducted warranties search. Fourth Amendment protections apply to searches conducted by private parties who act as “agents” of a government. How do you know if a private citizen or company acts as a government agent? The legal definitions and tests vary by court, but generally, a court will consider the degree of control that the government exercised over the private party’s search and whether the private party had an independent reason, unrelated to law enforcement, to conduct the search (such as a business justification).

This issue is arising increasingly in criminal cases in which online service providers turn over information that the government ultimately seeks to use as evidence of a crime. If a service provider is found to have conducted a warrantless search as a government agent, the criminal defendant may be able to prevent the court from considering not only the evidence that the service provider gave to the government, but any subsequent discoveries due to that initial evidence.

One big point lays serious doubt on your claim.
IF Apple was scanning the iCloud for CSAM like most major cloud providers, the number of reported CSAM violations would be far in excess of the 265 they reported last year. That is a legal requirement: IF you scan and find you MUST report. Many were assuming Apple scanned (discounting warrants and subpeonas) as they claimed they could. The numbers reported means either Apple scans and does not report - breaking the law - or they don’t scan and don’t break the law.

I am going with the latter.
 
I did the cloud til a couple of days ago with Apple , I actually still do let google back up my camera roll, I have two daughters so Apple Music was a must have also…. I’ll most likely still give Apple money for that even if I do have to leave their ecosystem….. I suppose everything is based on reasonableness of what is acceptable and what’s not….. I wish I could tell Tim personally why this is such a bad mistake… somehow I think maybe I could make him understand how evil this is
 
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