Apple Lets User Privacy Slide

Apple announced that it would no longer scan photos scanned in users’ iCloud accounts.

[{"selector":"#anim-bd2b07e7-b72c-4227-8b0b-1b5153e62d87","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.22223%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f61dd228-dade-498d-992e-95340f1c8027","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a7f4cd9a-5c65-4be2-9df5-1642fba05a5a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b1967f2-b2fd-4e58-996a-3a2679f0019c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.320119557556218%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

For context, Apple had launched a service in August 2021 with an aim to scan users’ iCloud for child sexual abuse material.

[{"selector":"#anim-3a935d90-9aed-4f56-877b-484df2aad2d1","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -342.89958%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -96.423361896%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -32.781199848%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -12.310094922000001%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -5.349233448%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":600,"fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e2a918b-e369-4a7c-ad1d-cd954be52580 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Many security researchers found that it could be used as a surveillance capability.

[{"selector":"#anim-ab3815fc-043c-4c12-ad62-1b3a3901d8b8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9e16105-2119-4e9a-a823-8ebfc2176e5e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 131.83989%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0fbbcddc-ba92-4a3d-8181-f22bd7370aaa [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Instead of this controversial scanning feature, Apple has chosen to invest heavily in its ‘Communication Safety’ feature.

[{"selector":"#anim-b6a3afce-f16a-434a-9077-3d6a2535200a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d8c16f5-189b-41b9-bff5-5f44d34f771d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.22738227450827%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}]

This feature works in various Apple services like Siri, Spotlight search, and Safari search.

[{"selector":"#anim-26923642-f81f-4aea-aadc-b5875e7c4f3c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(126.48085%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-acac568e-3ffa-410b-9245-aa18eea95689","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-624ae2ab-0ed1-462b-a74c-02fdff5abaa0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6160991-d7e5-45fa-b02e-f7e9f8ab11a9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.807598210342725%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The tech giant had also hit the news lately regarding its controversial change in Apple devices in China.

[{"selector":"#anim-4245634d-b01e-4f85-85d7-646ddfa1d76f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.19192%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-21276090-5bd5-4a92-8dbb-33d0e55f7cb4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b90a757c-90dc-40e6-b70a-0893d4d12c1e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-acb5ec1c-fcdc-4128-b85d-4a830f1ab1d9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-24.85294470357546%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Apple quietly disabled the feature to share files with everyone through AirDrop.

[{"selector":"#anim-5b48e0af-29df-44d9-8ed6-6f2682f3aed1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-28.908158981437193%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b428769-fe8a-42cf-ae0e-28491fe3b2b9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Apple announced this feature in August 2021, along with a host of other CSA prevention measures.

[{"selector":"#anim-1f76b29d-b47e-4d3a-a487-1239e794d2f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c127875-f33e-4a70-bf96-98c4dddc23db [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(14.850547643627154%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]