• starkle@lemmy.one
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    12
    ·
    1 year ago

    Only 5 of the bullets are related to privacy. The first two regard Apple’s purported plans to implement client-side scanning, which have been paused and and don’t presently exist. The third one was FUD that has been debunked. The fourth one has a broken link. The last one regards Apples tracking of iCloud account usage in their apps and services, which is totally optional at least on macOS.

    There are plenty of reasons to avoid Apple, and this page lists several, but the privacy argument is not strong here.

    • million@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Here is the thing about the client side scanning, it was a way for them to fully encrypt iCloud while keeping law enforcement happy. In my mind it was a privacy win, as the alternative was to scan an unencrypted file in the cloud, much like Google, Microsoft, et al does.

      Privacy isn’t an absolute, there is a push pull with the other needs of a society, if folks legitimately think that CSAM isn’t a problem then they have had a very sheltered internet experience.

      I know this view is hugely unpopular with the privacy crowd but what Apple was doing honestly felt like a reasonable compromise to me. I guess it’s moot because they now have an encrypted iCloud option without the client side scanning.

      • alb@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        The problem is that client-side scanning has been demonstrated to be a big threat to security by scholars in the field of encryption. In addition, client-side scanning can be circumvented by criminals by modifying the hash of images; this is why its introduction caused a big outcry and Apple dropped its introduction.

        • starchturrets@feddit.de
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          I think the reason it caused such an outcry was that it was a little more advanced than simply checking a hash, which could be defeated by cropping it or something similar.

      • hemmes@lemmy.one
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        My sentiments as well. When they wouldn’t open that shooter’s phone for the government and were about to goto war right before the FBI got it done with Azimuth Security (discovering nothing after spending nearly a million dollars lol). You would think they said to themselves “we have to do something to get out of the cross hairs.” And like you said, they soon released full end to end encryption to close the gap (which I’ve done and highly recommend).

    • Logster998@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Thanks for pointing this out. While proprietary software is harder to stomach than open source software, any private options should be praised. Apple’s the only company in its league that offers some privacy, and it’s the only option for people in college or business.