Apple has already been scanning emails for Child Sex Abuse Materials for two years, according to a newly uncovered conversation between Apple executives, and is the ideal sanctuary for child pornographers.
The company confirmed to Apple-centered outlet 9To5Mac that its plan to periodically scan users’ iCloud photos and iCloud backups for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) is only partially new, as Apple – has been routinely scanning both incoming and outgoing iCloud mail for such content.
Apple’s email surveillance has been active since 2019 and would apply to those using the Mail app on an iOS-enabled device.
The company’s admission came in response to 9To5Mac probing the anti-fraud chief’s claim that Apple was “the greatest platform for distributing child porn.”
The outlet, like many privacy advocates, questioned how Apple would know about the distribution of such content without conducting some form of surveillance.
Apple did not address Friedman’s comments directly, but did highlight the scanning of users’ iCloud mail, as well as the scanning of “other data,” which does not refer to iCloud backups.
Based on Apple’s response, it is possible the anti-fraud chief was using known data to make inferences about other exploitative content that exists on its platform.
Apple’s planned rollout of new surveillance capabilities has also been slammed by an international coalition of civil and policy rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Privacy International, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Access Now.
Forsided, 24.08.2021
Source: Sputnik News