Apple defeats liability for not scanning iCloud for CSAM • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple defeats liability for not scanning iCloud for CSAM

#591

Post by mannanj » Mon, Jul 27, 2026, 1:51 AM UTC

jcgl wrote: post #589

mannanj wrote: post #585

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No I think we are taking about similar things, but the core of it is this: - you and other guy believe non-technical people can't build technical things because its still too hard and you need to know the technical things - I'm saying you don't now, and some the samples I showed are that we are moving in that direction and its possible now, even if most people aren't doing it now. that they could. and its an awarenes…

Thanks for trying to summarize. > - you and other guy believe non-technical people can't build technical things because its still too hard and you need to know the technical things Pretty much. Though maybe I should more softly phrase it as "you still need to have some idea about technical things." Even more importantly, you still need to have some idea about decomposing problems in a technical way. What you said: >…

looks like I had some issues with my thinking. thanks for pointing it out. correcting my stance to: we are going there.

your insights reveal we are actually further away than I thought. But I think I underestimated my skill in using the AI tools and thought the average person could build more than they can.

Re: Apple defeats liability for not scanning iCloud for CSAM

#592

Post by RIMR » Mon, Jul 27, 2026, 5:23 PM UTC

rootusrootus wrote: post #297

RIMR wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is an extremely important point to understand. At face value, it can feel like CSAM should be protected speech, however repulsive. There are no laws against gore videos, though one might argue that death is worse than SA. However, we have substantial empirical evidence that CSAM directly contributes to offending behavior. We also acknowledge that participating in pornography requires consent, and that the contin…

> It misses the point to think that CSAM is illegal because it is "obscene". Are you sure you're not the one missing the point here? You're replying to the tail end of branch of discussion about AI-generated imagery. Obscene is the only argument that works against it.

Most of the people getting busted for AI-generated CSAM aren't just prompting an AI to generate inappropriate images. They are running pictures of real kids through nudifying apps.

Nonconsensual pornography is nonconsensual pornography. If a real child is involved, it is criminal.

With that said, purely AI-generated CSAM, while certainly disgusting, does pass the test for free speech, in that there are no victims and it is purely offensive, not actually damaging.

Re: Apple defeats liability for not scanning iCloud for CSAM

#593

Post by schrodinger » Mon, Jul 27, 2026, 8:59 PM UTC

rationalist wrote: post #538

pixl97 wrote: post #481

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I am as anti religious as you, probably not the best discussion method. Instead ask them if their church ever taught them anything on how to prevent sexual abuse, in both children or adults. Quickly you'll find the apologist for the church saying it's not the churches job even though they are in charge of children and vulnerable adults almost all the time.

FWIW, the Catholic Church and the other Church I go to, both require training on how to prevent abuse, sexual and otherwise, towards children, if you're in a ministry that works with children. That's why their rates of abuse are lower than other institutions such as schools.

I must be misunderstanding something, because I can't imagine that training would-be predators would significantly reduce the rates of abuse.

Perhaps I'm mischaracterizing it, and it's about training those around potential abusers on how to recognize signs of abuse and adopt tactics that prevent it? Or it's about training _children_ to recognize what's unacceptable and how to report it safely? Or something else entirely?

Regardless, your conviction in the efficacy of the training grabs my interest. Could you share more about it so I'm not working off of incorrect assumptions?

You also mentioned that their abuse rates are lower than schools. Do you happen to have a source for that — I’d be interested in educating myself on that as well!

Re: Apple defeats liability for not scanning iCloud for CSAM

#594

Post by Scroll_Swe » Tue, Jul 28, 2026, 10:35 AM UTC

wredcoll wrote: post #586

Scroll_Swe wrote: post #573

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am Swedish yes. Why should we take in the world? We took in most per capita in the Syrian crisis. Where do you live and how many refugees did you take in? I am seeing my country destroyed in real time so YES I am upset.

But since my ancestor is from there also I'm allowed to determine who is allowed to be there right?

[flagged]

Re: Apple defeats liability for not scanning iCloud for CSAM

#595

Post by ben_w » Tue, Jul 28, 2026, 1:29 PM UTC

duskwuff wrote: post #343

tzs wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The other is detection of images that may contain nudity, whether sent or received, when the owner/admin/parent enables the feature. It is relatively uncontroversial [...] That's a new version. The one that as announced the same time as client side scanning to block uploading CSAM to iCloud worked like this. 1. It could be enabled on a child's device by the parents. It was not on be default. 2. If the child receive…

One of the more recent changes is that anyone can now enable a version of this functionality, even if they aren't set up with a child account. (It's under Settings > Messages > Sensitive Content Warning.) In this mode, it behaves similarly to the over-13 mode described above; no one is notified, whether the user chooses to view the image or not. This mode is probably best understood as "if someone texts me a dick pic…

I'm amazed it took this long for us to get male junk filters.

Re: Apple defeats liability for not scanning iCloud for CSAM

#596

Post by myko » Mon, Aug 03, 2026, 1:45 PM UTC

giantg2 wrote: post #463

myko wrote: post #452

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The 2A was created for states to maintain their own troops, what is now the modern national guard - hence "well regulated militia" SCOTUS bastardized this original intent. It's shameful.

What you miss is that US Code defines militia as the explicit militia that you mention, but also the implicit militia. That implicit militia includes others not in the national guard. It's also worth mentioning that most states have similar language to the second amendment, including states whose constitutions were implemented prior to the bill of rights, lending to the credence that this is a right of the people, an…

I'm truly not missing this, it is the original intent of #2A. Activist judges misinterpreting it after the fact does not change that, neither does Congress later passing laws to "clarify" away the original intent.

Re: Apple defeats liability for not scanning iCloud for CSAM

#597

Post by throwaway89864 » Mon, Aug 03, 2026, 8:21 PM UTC

danaris wrote: post #580

throwaway89864 wrote: post #542

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a distinction between teaching tolerance, celebrating diversity, vocal promotion of special interests and recruitment.

"Recruitment"? Do you think that queer people are "recruited"? Do you think that queer people are a "special interest", like corn farmers? No; that type of attitude is just run-of-the-mill queerphobia. Young children need to be taught what gender identities are so that they will know if they are trans/nonbinary, so that they don't have to suffer for years or decades from gender dysphoria. Slightly-older children need…

I've personally been "recruited" (groomed) by an older gay person when I was in early twenties.

I can completely see having fun or even having a family as either gay, or straight, and I'm very glad that I've not joined gay camp. Yes, there is "shopping" for partners, in both camps, and there is competition, and "recruitment", and attempts to protect the interests to do so, including in kinder. Start them early, you know...