Apple is delaying its child protection features announced last month, including a controversial feature that would scan users’ photos for child sexual abuse material (CSAM), following intense criticism that the changes could diminish user privacy. The changes had been scheduled to roll out later this year.
“Last month we announced plans for features intended to help protect children from predators who use communication tools to recruit and exploit them, and limit the spread of Child Sexual Abuse Material,” Apple said in a statement to The Verge. “Based on feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers and others, we have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features.
Apple’s original press release about the changes, which were intended to reduce the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), has a similar statement at the top of the page. That release detailed three major changes in the works. One change to Search and Siri would point to resources to prevent CSAM if a user searched for information related it.
The other two changes came under more significant scrutiny. One would alert parents when their kids were receiving or sending sexually explicit photos and would blur those images for kids. The other would have scanned images stored in a user’s iCloud Photos for CSAM and report them to Apple moderators, who could then refer the reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, or NCMEC.
Source: theverge
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