Apple's new algorithm scans your personal files. Protect your right to privacy.

[20kevin20]

According to 9to5mac, Apple has just unveiled a new algorithm for its gallery app. Using "protecting children" as an obvious excuse, the new algorithm is going to scan all iCloud data for information and data of child abuse.

This is a big concern for me for a few reasons. One reason is that a lot of kids own iPhones and a lot of them have iCloud accounts. iCloud was probably never safe for storing sensitive data anyway, but now it's even more worrying since this has gone public. Two kids sexting now means photos of nude children will be in Apple's hands, and likely in the hands of authorities in case they consider thee pictures are important to keep. This is an invasion of privacy that is now public and happening, for which reason we must start looking for ways to protect ourselves.

If celebrities and large pedophile rings are not being arrested due to their fame or political links, there is no way we can expect the scanningof personal images and invasion of privacy to be a proper measure against child abuse or child sexual exploitation.

When people will start to realize privacy is important, it might already be too late. They're taking away our freedom, and they'll be trying to take Monero away as well for the same excuses.

The state is not your friend, and they've been proving this over and over again for a long time. Protect your right to financial privacy before they try to take it away as well.

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[semobo]

So the only possible solution to stop the invasion of Apple into our privacy things is to just sign out from our iCloud accounts completely?

Because I don't find any viable solution other than this, or else people can boycott Apple products which may force them to revice their policies!

[20kevin20]

It would be a better idea to just stop storing your personal stuff in a stranger's servers so they don't have what to scan and play with. The main issue is that our privacy is simply forgotten about every time they want it to be forgotten.

[franky1]

just like how bitcoin makes a block hash. the idea is simple. sha(file) and then compare the hash to known hashs from known porn files.

but here is the thing..

to have access enough to make a hash. they need the file data.. .. every byte.. unencrypted
so to be able to get every byte, they need access inside of peoples supposed encrypted icloud storage

and how do they do this. well unlike your phone. the icloud is THEIR server. their property. and so their terms and conditions of service of people uploading to THEIR storage can be changed with just a update of terms and conditions and then a update of the app that does the uploading to ensure files from peoples phones are not encrypted as they get uploaded to their icloud.

so there are risks that even your normal legal content can be accessed by them.
they 'promise' to only look at files that have been flagged as having the file hashes of known illicit material. but then its a question of. being able to view it all technically. but promising not to.. . means they are then open to being court ordered to look at other files by other agencies for other reasons.

When people will start to realize privacy is important, it might already be too late. They're taking away our freedom,

the secret to learn is..
you have the freedom to walk.. because feet
you have the freedom to talk.. because mouth

but when it comes to using something branded. whether its a forum. a megaphone, a convention stage. a phone.
your freedoms dont really extend to other peoples property or service.

its like grocery stores. its their business. they can ban you from entering their business if they want. they can ask you to do certain things too, like only buy 2 items. or stay socially distanced. or dont access certain area's
its there service. you have no freedom or rights on someone elses property.

so thinking facebook, this forum. or a icloud is your "right" is the wrong way of thinking. they are extending a courtesy and a condition which they can remove from their service.

never expect privacy on someone elses service/property. but accept their courtesy if they offer it. and if they take that courtesy away.. and you dont like it. find something else.

the only way services learn is from seeing a lack of customers due to a change they make. if they want customers, they will learn how to follow what customers want.

[moderator's note: consecutive posts merged]

[NeuroticFish]

never expect privacy on someone elses service/property.

This is the actual point.
People write on FB, Twitter, Youtube (i.e add text/media onto their servers) and then they are surprised that those companies do whatever they want with that data.
Same with phones/tablets. I don't think that the data stored by Apple (or Google or whatever) was ever that much private. The fact that some new rules were made by politicians and the companies are eager to comply (to avoid later fines for this or other things) is just a detail.

One discussion could be about the (fake!) illusion of privacy they give for the personal data. But whether their intentions are good and bugs or evil employees ruin than, whether their intentions are bad and hide when caught behind bugs... the result is pretty much the same: there's no real privacy when data is on others' servers.


There may be one exception: the zero knowledge cloud providers. But it's their infrastructure, their software, their.. everything, and even that should be taken with a grain of salt because bugs or intended loopholes may exist.


So for privacy, your own stuff, maybe even buried in the backyard... meaning 100% old school... that's the way.
As we know: "if you want something done, do it yourself!"