More horrifying is the number of people defending or apologizing for this move. Truly mind boggling!
This is such a massive story now there will be damage control.
An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
331–340 of 713 posts
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#332Earlier quoted context omitted.
On phones: I'm considering a Pixel device with https://calyxos.org/ The main limitations will be the featureset of MicroG (no ~maps~/wearOS/auto). Possible issues with important apps like those for banking. On cloud: Synology Diskstation is amazing. Only use it through a local VPN though. edit: maps work (see reply)
Are the only phone options iOS or Android? I’m also considering leaving my iPhone behind because of this privacy violation but I’m definitely not moving to Google. That seems like two steps back.
I’m considering the Nokia 8110 (banana phone)
KaiOS, somewhere between a smart phone and a dumb phone. Still has Google maps, not sure if you need a Google account tho.
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#333It’s astounding how many very smart people are getting this wrong. Perhaps I missed it, but does anywhere on this letter mention that that both of these features are optional? CSAM depends on using iCloud Photos. Don’t rent someone else’s computer if you don’t want them to decide what you can put on it. Content filter for iMessages is for kids accounts only, and can be turned off. Or, even better: skip iMessages for…
The new system is overkill for iCloud, which Apple already scans. The obvious conclusion is Apple will start to scan photos kept on device, even where iCloud is not used.
Very smart people are not getting this wrong.
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#334I know the privacy approach Apple has been pushing was just marketing, but I didn't care too much because I enjoyed my iPhone and M1 macbook. Because of this decision (and the fact that my iPhone more-or-less facilitates poor habits throughout my life), I'm considering moving completely out of the Apple ecosystem. Does anyone have any recommendations for replacements? * On laptops: I have an X1 carbon extreme running…
Laptop | Desktop: https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/overview/cp/linuxsystem... Router: https://www.turris.com/en/omnia/overview/ Media Center: https://osmc.tv/vero/ Cloud (Use TrueNAS Scale): https://www.truenas.com/systems-overview/ Phone: https://www.pine64.org/pinephone/ Watch: https://pine64.com/product/pinetime-smartwatch-sealed/ Smart Thermostat: https://hestiapi.com/product/hestiapi-touch-one-free-shippin..…
I hadn't come across that Omnia router before - it looks great! Bit of a shame it doesn't support 802.11ax, and it is more expensive than I'd like, but still...
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#335Earlier quoted context omitted.
The big reason I don't want someone else scanning my phone (and a year later, my laptop) is that last I checked, software is not perfect, and I don't need the FBI getting called on me cause my browser cache smelled funny to some Apple PhD's machine-learning decision. It's the same reason I don't want police having any opportunistic information about me - both of these have an agenda, and so innocent people get pulled…
The chance of you getting enough false positives to reach the flagging threshold is one in a trillion. And then the manual review would catch the error easily. The FBI won’t be called on you.
That's a claim by Apple. Due to the opaque process this is completely unverifiable.
As well this statement relies on the fact that no malicious actor out there is trying to thwart the system. The hashes used are deliberately chosen to easily produce collisions otherwise the system won't work. This almost certainly will be abused.
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#336Earlier quoted context omitted.
Later this year in the Monterey update. “ These features are coming later this year in updates to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS Monterey.*” — https://www.apple.com/child-safety/
Of the three new features mentioned, the CSAM scanning one is not yet coming to Monterey. > new technology in iOS and iPadOS* will allow Apple to detect known CSAM images stored in iCloud Photos. > * Features available in the U.S. The iMessage and Siri feature paragraphs do mention Monterey.
The gall to refer to this as “features”
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#337It’s astounding how many very smart people are getting this wrong. Perhaps I missed it, but does anywhere on this letter mention that that both of these features are optional? CSAM depends on using iCloud Photos. Don’t rent someone else’s computer if you don’t want them to decide what you can put on it. Content filter for iMessages is for kids accounts only, and can be turned off. Or, even better: skip iMessages for…
The new system is overkill for iCloud, which Apple already scans. The obvious conclusion is Apple will start to scan photos kept on device, even where iCloud is not used. Very smart people are not getting this wrong.
> The obvious conclusion is Apple will start to scan photos kept on device, even where iCloud is not used.
Why is this the obvious conclusion?
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#338Earlier quoted context omitted.
We can carry every single element back to its inception and make identical arguments. That's the problem with slippery slopes. Apple - creates messaging platform. Slippery slope - governments can force Apple to send them all messages. Apple - creates encrypted messaging platform. Slippery slope - governments can force Apple to send them the keys and all messages Apple - Adds camera to device (GPS, microphone, acceler…
That is because you are incorrectly using the the charge of the Slippery slope fallacy to hand wave away legitimate concerns by reducing them to an absurdity which is itself a logical fallacy The legitimate concerns here are not a slippery slop, they are real and self evidence born from countless examples through out history of these types of survelence systems being abused. EFF points to a coulple, other artiles poi…
I guess I'm just extremely dense.
I see Apple implement a trivial (laughably trivial) system -- a tiny little pimple on a massive platform of hardware and software -- and I don't think "this is it! This is what puts the surveillance state over the top!", I think "Hey look, trivial, constrained system".
But if you believe that this was what was between a surveillance state or not...well you must be much more intellectually capable than I and I am honored to be in your presence.
It is the very definition of a slippery slope. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but usually you're just walking to the bathroom.
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#339I know the privacy approach Apple has been pushing was just marketing, but I didn't care too much because I enjoyed my iPhone and M1 macbook. Because of this decision (and the fact that my iPhone more-or-less facilitates poor habits throughout my life), I'm considering moving completely out of the Apple ecosystem. Does anyone have any recommendations for replacements? * On laptops: I have an X1 carbon extreme running…
Alternatively, if you don’t use iMessage or iCloud then I don’t think these changes affect you.
Re: An Open Letter Against Apple's Privacy-Invasive Content Scanning Technology
#340Earlier quoted context omitted.
Google Photos runs PhotoDNA on all photos there, so it’s no different from Apple scanning photos destined for iCloud photos with similar tech. I guess the only pushback is that apple has decided to do it on-device (still only to photos going to iCloud Photos) instead of server-side, where they have to disable E2EE to do so?
> I guess the only pushback is that apple has decided to do it on-device. This is exactly what my problem is. They are using my CPU, battery time and network bandwidth to do this when they should be using their own resources. I know I can turn off iCloud but I am paying for that and we already have an agreement in place. Honestly, it's the only concrete thing to complain about. Every other complaint is based on a wha…
Consider it’s not very interesting to argue with someone who is set in their ways, and the lack of counter argument is a lack of interest, not a superiority of viewpoint.
Anyway I agree with you, and have been curious what the neural net hardware on the new iPhone will be used for. Turns out it’s for checking my photo library for child abuse, how futuristic!