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A better title would be: Apple to scan iPhones for banned images. SwiftOnSecurity: > Just to state: Apple's scanning does not detect photos of child abuse. It

A better title would be: Apple to scan iPhones for banned images. SwiftOnSecurity: > Just to state: Apple's scanning does not detect photos of child abuse. It detects a list of known banned images added to a database, which are initially child abuse imagery found circulating elsewhere. What images are added over time is arbitrary. It doesn't know what a child is. (from https://twitter.com/SwiftOnSecurity/status/1423383256003747840 https://twitter.com/SwiftOnSecurity/status/14233832560037478...)

hef19898 5y ago
Nice. Well, Apple had me consider a switch from Pixel phones when they prioritized privacy over Facebook. Since I don't want anyone scanning and deeming my pictures "acceptable" I just stick with Google. And they were that close to become an acceptable big tech co regarding user privacy...
- zimpenfish 5y ago
  > Since I don't want anyone scanning and deeming my pictures "acceptable" I just stick with Google. Don't Google already do this for images you store in their cloud?
  - rvz 5y ago
    yes. [0] https://www.theverge.com/2014/8/5/5970141/how-google-scans-your-gmail-for-child-porn https://www.theverge.com/2014/8/5/5970141/how-google-scans-y... [1] https://torrentfreak.com/google-drive-uses-hash-matching-detect-pirated-content/ https://torrentfreak.com/google-drive-uses-hash-matching-det...
  - temeritatis 5y ago
    Sure, but so does icloud and onedrive. And while i don't like that either, at least one can opt out of it. The only way to realistically opt out of this new system is to not use an iOS device. And i'm just wondering how long until they want to scan your mac as well.
    - zimpenfish 5y ago
      > The only way to realistically opt out of this new system is to not use an iOS device. You can just not share the photos to iCloud, the exact same way you'd opt out of it happening on iCloud, no?
      - temeritatis 5y ago
        I suppose you are right about that actually. Makes me wonder why they chose to implement scanning of files destined for icloud (locally) when it's already a feature of icloud?
        temeritatis 5y ago
        Scratch that. I think i get it now. They now have that capability BUILT IN locally, which might mean it can possibly be used via remote command on-demand (on for example non icloud pictures). Which is kind of scary.
  - hef19898 5y ago
    That's why I hardly have any pictures there. Except stuff I share spontaneously. The vast majority is on local drives. I guess I'll have to do that in general going forward then... EDIT: Just checked, I don't backup pictures from my phone in the cloud. At least that's what my Google camera app insists on.
    - hellisothers 5y ago
      So if those things are equal you’re going to switch to an iPhone then?
      - aaomidi 5y ago
        One of them is scanning on device. The other isn't.
        zimpenfish 5y ago
        > One of them is scanning on device [...] [...] when the photo is about to be uploaded to the cloud. If you don't use iCloud Photos, it won't be scanning your photos.
        aaomidi 5y ago
        > about to be uploaded to the cloud it's scanning ON your device. This means Apple now has the capability to scan and find files on your device. Which means they have opened the pandoras box of over-reaching government requests.
- silicon2401 5y ago
  Same here. Despite the atrocious UI of iOS, I've been slowly and reluctantly considering iPhone for my next phone because of the good privacy news. This news kills any consideration of an iPhone for me. I'd rather go back to a dumb phone than let a company scan my phone at will.
- fidesomnes 5y ago
  Imagine being this naive.
- ByteWelder 5y ago
  I'm currently considering a Pixel phone with CalyxOS. It might be the good in-between choice.
apexalpha 5y ago
They also use on-device machine learning to detect pictures (and videos?) containing any kind of 'undesirable' content. "Messages uses on-device machine learning to analyze image attachments and determine if a photo is sexually explicit." Furthermore: "This program is ambitious, and protecting children is an important responsibility. These efforts will evolve and expand over time." Per: https://www.apple.com/child-safety/ https://www.apple.com/child-safety/ The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.

hef19898 5y ago

Nice. Well, Apple had me consider a switch from Pixel phones when they prioritized privacy over Facebook. Since I don't want anyone scanning and deeming my pictures "acceptable" I just stick with Google. And they were that close to become an acceptable big tech co regarding user privacy...

zimpenfish 5y ago
> Since I don't want anyone scanning and deeming my pictures "acceptable" I just stick with Google. Don't Google already do this for images you store in their cloud?
- rvz 5y ago
  yes. [0] https://www.theverge.com/2014/8/5/5970141/how-google-scans-your-gmail-for-child-porn https://www.theverge.com/2014/8/5/5970141/how-google-scans-y... [1] https://torrentfreak.com/google-drive-uses-hash-matching-detect-pirated-content/ https://torrentfreak.com/google-drive-uses-hash-matching-det...
- temeritatis 5y ago
  Sure, but so does icloud and onedrive. And while i don't like that either, at least one can opt out of it. The only way to realistically opt out of this new system is to not use an iOS device. And i'm just wondering how long until they want to scan your mac as well.
  - zimpenfish 5y ago
    > The only way to realistically opt out of this new system is to not use an iOS device. You can just not share the photos to iCloud, the exact same way you'd opt out of it happening on iCloud, no?
    - temeritatis 5y ago
      I suppose you are right about that actually. Makes me wonder why they chose to implement scanning of files destined for icloud (locally) when it's already a feature of icloud?
      - temeritatis 5y ago
        Scratch that. I think i get it now. They now have that capability BUILT IN locally, which might mean it can possibly be used via remote command on-demand (on for example non icloud pictures). Which is kind of scary.
- hef19898 5y ago
  That's why I hardly have any pictures there. Except stuff I share spontaneously. The vast majority is on local drives. I guess I'll have to do that in general going forward then... EDIT: Just checked, I don't backup pictures from my phone in the cloud. At least that's what my Google camera app insists on.
  - hellisothers 5y ago
    So if those things are equal you’re going to switch to an iPhone then?
    - aaomidi 5y ago
      One of them is scanning on device. The other isn't.
      - zimpenfish 5y ago
        > One of them is scanning on device [...] [...] when the photo is about to be uploaded to the cloud. If you don't use iCloud Photos, it won't be scanning your photos.
        aaomidi 5y ago
        > about to be uploaded to the cloud it's scanning ON your device. This means Apple now has the capability to scan and find files on your device. Which means they have opened the pandoras box of over-reaching government requests.
silicon2401 5y ago
Same here. Despite the atrocious UI of iOS, I've been slowly and reluctantly considering iPhone for my next phone because of the good privacy news. This news kills any consideration of an iPhone for me. I'd rather go back to a dumb phone than let a company scan my phone at will.
fidesomnes 5y ago
Imagine being this naive.
ByteWelder 5y ago
I'm currently considering a Pixel phone with CalyxOS. It might be the good in-between choice.

apexalpha 5y ago

They also use on-device machine learning to detect pictures (and videos?) containing any kind of 'undesirable' content. "Messages uses on-device machine learning to analyze image attachments and determine if a photo is sexually explicit." Furthermore: "This program is ambitious, and protecting children is an important responsibility. These efforts will evolve and expand over time." Per: https://www.apple.com/child-safety/ https://www.apple.com/child-safety/ The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.