5 ms·
Seems that most comments are on the privacy side of the argument. So I will try to defend this :) "Apple’s system is less invasive in that the screening is don
by stefanve 5y ago
Seems that most comments are on the privacy side of the argument. So I will try to defend this :)
"Apple’s system is less invasive in that the screening is done on the phone, and “only if there is a match is notification sent back to those searching”, said Alan Woodward, a computer security professor at the University of Surrey. “This decentralised approach is about the best approach you could adopt if you do go down this route.”
So it will only happen when you upload data to the iCloud. So the question is then: is it okay for apple to make sure no illegal content is stored on its servers? I think you could argue both ways but to me at least it is less privacy invasive than it seems.
it is about expectations of privacy, in the same way you can expect less privacy in a public space in the real world. It should be clear by now that you can expect less privacy on the public web. Of course a counter argument is that is is perhaps more like renting a hotel room than it is a total public space. But you can also expect less privacy in a hotel room than you can expect in your own home.
For many years privacy and freedom of speech has been a hallmark feature of the internet. I was (kinda still am) a big proponent of this. But we have seen what will happen if you take it to its extreem. From disinformation campaigns to illegal activities. So to me (and incidentally Facebook) we should get better (inter)national rules about how we want to use the public space of the internet. Just in the same way we have rules and laws in public space.
Internet is blending more and more in to the real world. So governments should make it clear in what way we can expect privacy and free speech and where we can expect it (self hosting, public platforms etc) and what responsibilities companies have to enforce it.
The hardline arguments of privacy advocates are the same that the NRA is using to prevent any form of gun control. It starts with A what is them going to prevent to do B. Well rules, regulations and laws. You should be very aware that privacy isn't watered down and law enforcement should make sure they don't mis use what rules there are. But to me checking hashtags for know child abuse photos is the same as doing a basic background check before giving someone an assault weapon
That being said it will stop no one from encrypting images before uploading it to iCloud.
- rdedev 5y agoThe problem with client side verification is it dosent take much have the system look at all local files for verification, not just the files being uploaded to iCloud. Now that Apple has some form of client side verification, an authoritarian government with enough economical clout can preassure apple into extending the system to look for things beyond child pornography. The govt could even just provide apple with their own hashes which may or may not be CP and mandate that Apple verify these hashes too. So in the end it all depends on how well apple is ready to push back against such government and if they are willing to take a hit to their profit margins by being effectively banned from a country
- stefanve 5y agoBut they can do that anyway. For all you know it is already running. As the system is proposed it only scans before uploading so not scanning all data on the phone. of course any thing can change. But since it is a closed source os nothing is stopping them from having the ability anyway. And suddenly I remember that Apple is playing by Chinese rules in china any way. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/technology/apple-china-censorship-data.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/technology/apple-china-ce...
- lovelyviking 5y agoThe here issue is installation of spyware engine, not it's current usage. The issue here is what they are going to do next without telling you.
- samrolken 5y agoAt any time Apple could turn evil and include invasive spyware that sells you out. If you’re afraid this can happen, this new feature doesn’t make it any easier. You shouldn’t use Apple products at all if you distrust them to that degree.
- lovelyviking 5y agoWill it help? Imagine what other companies will do if Apple will get away with that...
- stefanve 5y agoAlso it is not really a spyware engine. It checks checksums. So you need to know the content to be of any use. People forget that if you are in the apple verge they know more than enough about you, they don't need a spyware engine. The thing is that they do their best to make sure that they do as little as possible of server side processing. Tasks like sorting photos, face recognition is all done locally as to ensure misusage and ending up with a big database of all sorts of data. They have chosen to do the same route with a very specific set of content checking. of course this tech can be used in malicious ways (banning books and what not) but if you live in a country that has a government like that, best is not to trust any device that comes with software preinstalled anyway
- lovelyviking 5y ago>Also it is not really a spyware engine. Well "It checks ... " is exactly what spyware does, at least this part is Spyware Engine. Which part of it is not spyware engine? Did you see the source code? >The thing is that they do their best Yeah, right. Or so they say... >of course this tech can be used in malicious ways It is already used in malicious ways, it works as Spyware Engine and we have no information about what else it does under bs umbrella like "children protection" or any other bs they would invent to justify Spyware Engine legalization attempts.
- ssss11 5y agoIf they only care about their servers why are they installing it client side. There is clearly more to it than that.
- Terretta 5y agoOne reason could be so they don't have to be able to decrypt on their end a file that you send them to keep for you.