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WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

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Re: WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

#3
I really hope there is enough momentum to stop this. It's definitely the last straw for me in terms of apple products. I haven't bought a new iphone for 4 years, I'm slowly trying to switch to a lightphone (non smartphone). My mac needs a change but I will probably switch to linux.

It's absolutely ridiculous what apple has become. The exact opposite of what they used to represent, when I loved them. God rest Steve Jobs soul, his 1984 ad is exactly what apple is now. Screwed devs on app store, strongarmed into compliance, cooperation with china, worse and worse UX on phones, and now this...

Really disappointing.

Re: WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

#4
post #2

Isn't WhatsApp part of Facebook? Why is it being separated as WhatsApp?

Because Will Cathcart is the lead of WhatsApp, not Facebook. As is mentioned clearly in the title. It's not like they are hiding the association as his quote is immediately followed up by:

> WhatsApp’s owner, Facebook, has reasons to pounce on Apple for privacy concerns.

Re: WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

#5
post #3

I really hope there is enough momentum to stop this. It's definitely the last straw for me in terms of apple products. I haven't bought a new iphone for 4 years, I'm slowly trying to switch to a lightphone (non smartphone). My mac needs a change but I will probably switch to linux. It's absolutely ridiculous what apple has become. The exact opposite of what they used to represent, when I loved them. God rest Steve Jo…

Comments from a different post shows this is "Presumably to implement E2E encryption, while at the same time helping the NCMEC to push for legislation to make it illegal to offer E2E encryption without this backdoor."

If this is the case, then It is coming to every device (not just apple) or E2E will be made illegal(or a backdoor).

Re: WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

#6
post #3

I really hope there is enough momentum to stop this. It's definitely the last straw for me in terms of apple products. I haven't bought a new iphone for 4 years, I'm slowly trying to switch to a lightphone (non smartphone). My mac needs a change but I will probably switch to linux. It's absolutely ridiculous what apple has become. The exact opposite of what they used to represent, when I loved them. God rest Steve Jo…

It’s too late either way. The fact that it even got this far through implementation says the vendor is not on my side. Not only that once capability is revealed it can be required by governments and manipulated under warrant. Particularly in some regimes, mine included, the vendor can be compelled to do something and not say anything. My comment doesn’t even cover how monumentally flawed the entire thing is either.

So I’ve been on the verge of doing this for years so this was the final push and motivation.

Yesterday I sold my iPad and Apple Watch. They are being shipped today. I’m just waiting on refunds on my AppleCare for my MacBook and iPhone now and I will sell them.

Yesterday I had a Nokia 215 arrive as a replacement phone. Also a monster pile of PC bits arrived which have been assembled into a Ubuntu running desktop. I am spending today migrating my data over carefully. When the MacBook sells I will buy a Nikon DSLR.

At the end of this I lose perhaps 20% convenience for an immeasurable privacy gain, lose a big chunk of the distractions from my life and end up with some cash left over which I will use to go on holiday.

The only thing I will miss is Apple Music but it’ll give me a chance to curate my music collection without distraction again.

Re: WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

#7
Tim Cook is one of the best managers in the world but this is one of very few instances where Apple completely forgot about their mission as a company under his leadership.

I'm surprised he went ahead with this considering how much privacy goodwill they have built up over the years.

Re: WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

#8
post #6
post #3

I really hope there is enough momentum to stop this. It's definitely the last straw for me in terms of apple products. I haven't bought a new iphone for 4 years, I'm slowly trying to switch to a lightphone (non smartphone). My mac needs a change but I will probably switch to linux. It's absolutely ridiculous what apple has become. The exact opposite of what they used to represent, when I loved them. God rest Steve Jo…

It’s too late either way. The fact that it even got this far through implementation says the vendor is not on my side. Not only that once capability is revealed it can be required by governments and manipulated under warrant. Particularly in some regimes, mine included, the vendor can be compelled to do something and not say anything. My comment doesn’t even cover how monumentally flawed the entire thing is either. S…

Great to hear someone else is doing the same. For me the biggest issue is I have young kids and the convienence of quick photo taking is good on a smartphone. Might look into pinephone or something similar.

Re: WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

#9
post #6
post #3

I really hope there is enough momentum to stop this. It's definitely the last straw for me in terms of apple products. I haven't bought a new iphone for 4 years, I'm slowly trying to switch to a lightphone (non smartphone). My mac needs a change but I will probably switch to linux. It's absolutely ridiculous what apple has become. The exact opposite of what they used to represent, when I loved them. God rest Steve Jo…

It’s too late either way. The fact that it even got this far through implementation says the vendor is not on my side. Not only that once capability is revealed it can be required by governments and manipulated under warrant. Particularly in some regimes, mine included, the vendor can be compelled to do something and not say anything. My comment doesn’t even cover how monumentally flawed the entire thing is either. S…

> It’s too late either way. The fact that it even got this far through implementation says the vendor is not on my side.

Can Apple force people to install this even on devices they already sold?

Re: WhatsApp lead and other tech experts fire back at Apple’s Child Safety plan

#10
'Child Safety' is extremely disingenuous. Their 'plan' provides no benefit to the safety of children and only strips users of their remaining shred of privacy. Authorities care more about stopping images than actual children currently being abused (lack of investigation into Sophie Long allegations). Of course this is because 'child safety' is merely a smokescreen for authoritarianism and tyranny. Just like China.
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