Apple to Scan All US iPhones For "Child Abuse" Images

[lee n. field]

maybe a good argument, here, for doing computer-y things with a computer, not a phone.  If I didn't need G00gle Authenticator for a couple things, I could be by fine with a basic flip phone.

[dogmush]

You think your Windows computer is any better on privacy and/or data hoovering?

[WLJ]

And remember, it's REQUIRED that these corporations comply with court orders to unlock user phones in the course of a criminal investigation.

Just how well has THAT requirement worked out?

It was Apple who refused the government access to the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone. Reportedly the phone's encryption was then cracked by an Israeli firm

[WLJ]

And this just popped up a few days ago.

July 26, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) – A collaborative investigation into the use of next-generation cyber surveillance software by government agencies, supposedly to be used to track terrorist targets, has revealed that the spyware was in fact employed to hack the smartphones of thousands of journalists, lawyers, businessmen, and politicians across 20 countries.

The technology in question, Pegasus, was designed and sold by Israel-based technology firm NSO Group, which sold and distributed the hacking software to the governments of eleven countries. But a report in The Guardian claimed that at least 10 of those states, including Saudi Arabia, India, and Hungary, abused the powers granted by the spyware.

Israeli firm accused of enabling global spying by authoritarian gov’ts via Pegasus hacking software
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/israeli-firm-accused-of-enabling-global-spying-by-authoritarian-govts-via-pegasus-hacking-software/

[WLJ]

You think your Windows computer is any better on privacy and/or data hoovering?

Windows on it's own isn't really all that secure and never has been, it has just enough security to keep out the curious. This is also largely true for Mac OS and well as Linux despite what many may think although they are a little bit better. If you want your PC data secured there are 3rd party apps for that. Things can be a bit different with the server versions though.

[K Frame]

It was Apple who refused the government access to the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone. Reportedly the phone's encryption was then cracked by an Israeli firm

I know, but they're not the only one who has refused. All of the manufacturers have refused to comply.

[MechAg94]

Apple doesn't actually need to scan phones.  They could just scan all the online traffic and cloud storage.  If someone was involved in trafficking of minors or that material, they would still find evidence.  The phone isn't being used like a flash drive.  It is going across the phone networks. 

[fifth_column]

I ran across this WSJ article from 2018:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/techs-dirty-secret-the-app-developers-sifting-through-your-gmail-1530544442

According to the article, "Google said a year ago it would stop its computers from scanning the inboxes of Gmail users for information to personalize advertisements, saying it wanted users to “remain confident that Google will keep privacy and security paramount.”"

It goes on to say that google does allow vendors to scan @gmail inboxes, which is apparently, "a common practice." With no WSJ membership I was unable to read the entire article.

These scans are for marketing and advertising purposes, but it's possible to scan for any keywords, and probably images, etc. Online privacy is long gone, unless one makes a dedicated effort, in which case the authorities have to try a bit harder, if one is doing anything the authorities might be interested in of course.