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>Overall it's very interesting to see Apple invest so significantly in something that will benefit relatively few users -- not that I'm complaining! Getting wo

>Overall it's very interesting to see Apple invest so significantly in something that will benefit relatively few users -- not that I'm complaining! Getting world leaders, celebrities and CEOs to use their devices might make this part of their marketing budget.

1f60c 4y ago
I think the primary user base will be human rights activists and journalists, similar to Google’s Advanced Protection Program.
- GuB-42 4y ago
  I don't think human right activists and journalists are the most at risk here. They are more at risk than you and me but at least, they can keep a low profile. CEOs and celebrities and politicians are not only at risk because of their influence and insider knowledge, but they also have a huge target painted on them at all times. They simply can't keep a low profile due to their occupation. They also have money, much more than journalists and activists, so they attract "regular" criminals too. Human right activists and journalists probably won't be their main user base but it will be the most prominent for public relations reasons, because who doesn't like human right and investigative journalism? VIPs are less marketable and let's not talk about criminals. To keep things clear, I think it is a good feature, even if it can help criminals. After all, human right activists are often technically criminals where they act.
  - jsjohnst 4y ago
    > targets human rights defenders, journalists, and dissidents It’s literally spelled out as one of the target audiences in Apple’s press release announcing the feature.
    - onedognight 4y ago
      I have yet to hear about NSO tools being used to target celebrities who are not activists. Activists are targeted all the time. For example, Mexico used its NSO install to target a person that was working to get a tax on sugar sweetened beverages passed. And their children! https://deibert.citizenlab.ca/2017/02/mexico-nso-group-and-the-soda-tax/ https://deibert.citizenlab.ca/2017/02/mexico-nso-group-and-t...
  - makeitdouble 4y ago
    Many journalists whole job is to not keep a low profile and pull attention from the public. I'm not sure politicians get killed that much more in comparison [0]. Money is usually enough to solve political problems. [0] https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/02/18/30-environmental-reporters-have-been-killed-in-a-decade-why-journalism-needs-to-change https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/02/18/30-environmental-r...
  - KennyBlanken 4y ago
    Journalists in Mexico have an extremely high murder rate, friend. It's definitely a serious risk.
  - cguess 4y ago
    > because who doesn't like human right and investigative journalism? Everyone they're investigating. Here's a list of 51 journalists killed just this year https://cpj.org/data/killed/2022/?status=Killed&motiveConfirmed%5B%5D=Confirmed&motiveUnconfirmed%5B%5D=Unconfirmed&type%5B%5D=Journalist&type%5B%5D=Media%20Worker&start_year=2022&end_year=2022&group_by=location https://cpj.org/data/killed/2022/?status=Killed&motiveConfir...

1f60c 4y ago

I think the primary user base will be human rights activists and journalists, similar to Google’s Advanced Protection Program.

GuB-42 4y ago
I don't think human right activists and journalists are the most at risk here. They are more at risk than you and me but at least, they can keep a low profile. CEOs and celebrities and politicians are not only at risk because of their influence and insider knowledge, but they also have a huge target painted on them at all times. They simply can't keep a low profile due to their occupation. They also have money, much more than journalists and activists, so they attract "regular" criminals too. Human right activists and journalists probably won't be their main user base but it will be the most prominent for public relations reasons, because who doesn't like human right and investigative journalism? VIPs are less marketable and let's not talk about criminals. To keep things clear, I think it is a good feature, even if it can help criminals. After all, human right activists are often technically criminals where they act.
- jsjohnst 4y ago
  > targets human rights defenders, journalists, and dissidents It’s literally spelled out as one of the target audiences in Apple’s press release announcing the feature.
  - onedognight 4y ago
    I have yet to hear about NSO tools being used to target celebrities who are not activists. Activists are targeted all the time. For example, Mexico used its NSO install to target a person that was working to get a tax on sugar sweetened beverages passed. And their children! https://deibert.citizenlab.ca/2017/02/mexico-nso-group-and-the-soda-tax/ https://deibert.citizenlab.ca/2017/02/mexico-nso-group-and-t...
- makeitdouble 4y ago
  Many journalists whole job is to not keep a low profile and pull attention from the public. I'm not sure politicians get killed that much more in comparison [0]. Money is usually enough to solve political problems. [0] https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/02/18/30-environmental-reporters-have-been-killed-in-a-decade-why-journalism-needs-to-change https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/02/18/30-environmental-r...
- KennyBlanken 4y ago
  Journalists in Mexico have an extremely high murder rate, friend. It's definitely a serious risk.
- cguess 4y ago
  > because who doesn't like human right and investigative journalism? Everyone they're investigating. Here's a list of 51 journalists killed just this year https://cpj.org/data/killed/2022/?status=Killed&motiveConfirmed%5B%5D=Confirmed&motiveUnconfirmed%5B%5D=Unconfirmed&type%5B%5D=Journalist&type%5B%5D=Media%20Worker&start_year=2022&end_year=2022&group_by=location https://cpj.org/data/killed/2022/?status=Killed&motiveConfir...