4 ms·

Apple exec: ‘we are the greatest platform for distributing child porn’

23 points by amrrs 5y ago

amrrs 5y ago
Sorry seems this is the actual article link - https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2021/08/19/apple-exec-we-are-the-greatest-platform-for-distributing-child-porn/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2021/08/19/apple-e...
- wizzwizz4 5y ago
  I think you can edit your submission.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
arthurcolle 5y ago
Has anyone actually verified this screenshot? This would be trivial to fake.
- kortilla 5y ago
  It would be weird for it to be faked in the context of the Apple-Epic trial where this came from.
  - wizzwizz4 5y ago
    Indeed – but is this from that trial?
    - x0x0 5y ago
      The article literally says that.
    - heavyset_go 5y ago
      Yes, it's from Epic Games Inc. v. Apple Inc[1]. The quote was taken directly from a message sent on page 17 of this document[1]. [1] https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/21044004-2020-february-fear-friedman-admits-in-feb-2020-that-app-store-greatest-platform-for-child-porn-predator-grooming/#document/p1 https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/21044004-2020-febr...
phillipseamore 5y ago
Rather strange formatting of messages for a court document. The claim "we are the greatest platform for distributing child porn" sounds just like something pulled out of the air (we have the best privacy so they must want to use our devices/services) and not something backed up by facts.
- wizzwizz4 5y ago
  From the article: > It’s important to note: a comment made in a private text message isn’t the same as a full data-driven analysis that compares multiple global platforms and details their capability and usage for transmission of illegal images and videos. Such an analysis would be challenging at best, impossible at worst. > However, it’s also fairly likely to be an honest, if off-the-cuff, personal opinion.
- phillipseamore 5y ago
  Seems to be the original document: https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/21044004-2020-february-fear-friedman-admits-in-feb-2020-that-app-store-greatest-platform-for-child-porn-predator-grooming/#document/p17 https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/21044004-2020-febr...
postsantum 5y ago
Brace youself for the torrent of "news" related to Apple and bad actors that must be stopped at any price http://paulgraham.com/submarine.html http://paulgraham.com/submarine.html
- anothernewdude 5y ago
  Just after the torrent of news that Apple is a bad actor that must be stopped.
Animats 5y ago
A price of freedom of speech is some child porn, just as a price of gun freedom is some school shootings. Both can be greatly reduced at the cost of some freedoms. As they have been in China.
- baby 5y ago
  > a price of gun freedom is some school shootings Every European is reading this and shaking their head...
  - thesquib 5y ago
    Everyone in the world except maybe the USA. I read it and just.. facepalm.
LegitShady 5y ago
I have another take to this. Twitter is currently being sued (and has lost a motion to dismiss) over the distribution of sexual exploitation material of minors. https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/court-ruling-twitter-is-one-step-closer-to-being-held-accountable-for-knowing-distribution-of-child-sexual-abuse-material%E2%80%AF/ https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/court-ruling-twit... I think apple may realize that if this wins, or even goes to discovery, the bigger companies are next. Apple with deep pockets, if they know this kind of stuff is distributed on their platform, may have done some math on their extent of their liability even from a bad press perspective and decided to try to cut it. Sadly this still doesn't change the idea of scanning client devices (Rather than iphoto or icloud) is a big crossing of boundaries, and setting up this mechanism opens it up for exploitation by intelligence agencies via security letters etc in the future.
krisoft 5y ago
I have two questions: - who writes this down? no matter if it is true or false, one should not write down something this incriminating in writing. - If it is as it is assumed, that apple was trying to get ahead of this with the "scanning on phone" announcement, why don't they just scan on their servers like everyone else does it? As far as I know they don't have true e2e security. It is easier to implement, and when this gets out they can just say: "that was back then, ever since we changed how we are scanning on our servers." And as far as I know there is zero controversy about one scanning automatically for CSAM data on their own servers. So why didn't they just do that?
- ASalazarMX 5y ago
  The first I don't know, but the second: Apple wouldn't do what everyone else does, they "think different" and made an overenginered solution. Maybe they thought they could sell it as "Apple devices are so secure we were forced to scan on-device".
mdoms 5y ago
Why is this article flagged?

23 points by amrrs 5y ago

Sorry seems this is the actual article link - https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2021/08/19/apple-exec-we-are-the-greatest-platform-for-distributing-child-porn/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2021/08/19/apple-e...

wizzwizz4 5y ago
I think you can edit your submission.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

arthurcolle 5y ago

Has anyone actually verified this screenshot? This would be trivial to fake.

kortilla 5y ago
It would be weird for it to be faked in the context of the Apple-Epic trial where this came from.
- wizzwizz4 5y ago
  Indeed – but is this from that trial?
  - x0x0 5y ago
    The article literally says that.
  - heavyset_go 5y ago
    Yes, it's from Epic Games Inc. v. Apple Inc[1]. The quote was taken directly from a message sent on page 17 of this document[1]. [1] https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/21044004-2020-february-fear-friedman-admits-in-feb-2020-that-app-store-greatest-platform-for-child-porn-predator-grooming/#document/p1 https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/21044004-2020-febr...

phillipseamore 5y ago

Rather strange formatting of messages for a court document. The claim "we are the greatest platform for distributing child porn" sounds just like something pulled out of the air (we have the best privacy so they must want to use our devices/services) and not something backed up by facts.

wizzwizz4 5y ago
From the article: > It’s important to note: a comment made in a private text message isn’t the same as a full data-driven analysis that compares multiple global platforms and details their capability and usage for transmission of illegal images and videos. Such an analysis would be challenging at best, impossible at worst. > However, it’s also fairly likely to be an honest, if off-the-cuff, personal opinion.
phillipseamore 5y ago
Seems to be the original document: https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/21044004-2020-february-fear-friedman-admits-in-feb-2020-that-app-store-greatest-platform-for-child-porn-predator-grooming/#document/p17 https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/21044004-2020-febr...

postsantum 5y ago

Brace youself for the torrent of "news" related to Apple and bad actors that must be stopped at any price http://paulgraham.com/submarine.html http://paulgraham.com/submarine.html

anothernewdude 5y ago
Just after the torrent of news that Apple is a bad actor that must be stopped.

Animats 5y ago

A price of freedom of speech is some child porn, just as a price of gun freedom is some school shootings. Both can be greatly reduced at the cost of some freedoms. As they have been in China.

baby 5y ago
> a price of gun freedom is some school shootings Every European is reading this and shaking their head...
- thesquib 5y ago
  Everyone in the world except maybe the USA. I read it and just.. facepalm.

LegitShady 5y ago

I have another take to this. Twitter is currently being sued (and has lost a motion to dismiss) over the distribution of sexual exploitation material of minors. https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/court-ruling-twitter-is-one-step-closer-to-being-held-accountable-for-knowing-distribution-of-child-sexual-abuse-material%E2%80%AF/ https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/court-ruling-twit... I think apple may realize that if this wins, or even goes to discovery, the bigger companies are next. Apple with deep pockets, if they know this kind of stuff is distributed on their platform, may have done some math on their extent of their liability even from a bad press perspective and decided to try to cut it. Sadly this still doesn't change the idea of scanning client devices (Rather than iphoto or icloud) is a big crossing of boundaries, and setting up this mechanism opens it up for exploitation by intelligence agencies via security letters etc in the future.

krisoft 5y ago

I have two questions: - who writes this down? no matter if it is true or false, one should not write down something this incriminating in writing. - If it is as it is assumed, that apple was trying to get ahead of this with the "scanning on phone" announcement, why don't they just scan on their servers like everyone else does it? As far as I know they don't have true e2e security. It is easier to implement, and when this gets out they can just say: "that was back then, ever since we changed how we are scanning on our servers." And as far as I know there is zero controversy about one scanning automatically for CSAM data on their own servers. So why didn't they just do that?

ASalazarMX 5y ago
The first I don't know, but the second: Apple wouldn't do what everyone else does, they "think different" and made an overenginered solution. Maybe they thought they could sell it as "Apple devices are so secure we were forced to scan on-device".

mdoms 5y ago

Why is this article flagged?