Apple postpones plan to scan customers' phones to protect children from sexual abuse

Apple has postponed plans to launch new technology that scans iPhones for sexual material involving children. This came after Apple came under heavy criticism from privacy and other rights groups, expressing concern that the use of Apple's technology. tracking on smartphones sets a dangerous precedent.

Apple has confirmed that it has heard the negative opinions in this regard and that it is currently reviewing the timing of the launch of the technology. Concerns arose that the tracking system could be operated by authoritarian states.

It should be noted that the new technology, which has sparked all this controversy, via Apple's own servers which scan the images before uploading them to the image file in its electronic cloud and then associate them with the material of sexual abuse. children have known from the Missing and Exploited Children database.

If a match is found between these images, officials review them manually and then, if necessary, take action to shut down the user's account and report it to law enforcement.

Apple was due to launch this technology at the end of this year.

And Apple said in a statement issued regarding the technology that it has developed plans for certain features that will help protect children from fraudsters who use communications media to recruit and exploit children and reduce the spread of material. child pornography.

She added that based on the views of clients, advocacy groups, researchers, and others, she decided to spend more time over the next few months to gather more feedback and make some improvements before launching these critically important child safety features.

And privacy advocates have expressed concerns about the possibility of expanding the use of this technology by governments in authoritarian countries to spy on their citizens.

Electronic Frontier Foundation has been one of the most prominent voices criticizing this system, as it has launched a petition signed by 25,000 people who oppose the launch of this feature.

The foundation said the company, i.e. Apple, must do more than listen and cancel plans to infiltrate its entire encryption system, adding that the grand coalition that raised the issue will continue to do so. demand that users' phones, and the messages and photos they contain, receive the necessary protection and that the company fulfills its commitment to give users real privacy.