On: macOS Monterey

[aserdf]

is CSAM scanning included?

[threeseed → aserdf]

Yes. If you use iCloud Photo Library then CSAM is scanned server-side.

Same it has always been and no different to every other service.

[aserdf → threeseed]

I am referring to the on device flavor - if it does not apply to macOS that is great.

[astrange → aserdf]

The server-side version is strictly less private.

[mulmen → astrange]

Only if the client-side scanning includes end-to-end encryption, which was never part of the deal. It was a possible future feature. Also, only if the-client side scanning only scans images being uploaded to iCloud and not literally everything.

Also any kind of content scanning is always strictly worse than no scanning at all.

[robertoandred → mulmen]

The proposal was of course to check only images being uploaded to iCloud.

[gjsman-1000 → aserdf]

Nope - not client-side, but server-side, it's been there for, like, half a decade.

[tandav → gjsman-1000]

Untill os source code is closed you can't be Shure that they're not do scanning.

[selcuka → tandav]

Why would they do it in secret? It's a "feature" they really want to use as a PR opportunity. They just messed up the first announcement.

[memco → selcuka]

One thing that was slightly confusing in the initial announcement was that it was said to be released on a day when no OS update was happening[0]. I've been unable to find details of how the rollout was supposed to happen, but if no OS update was needed the code would have had to already be deployed in a previous update before it was officially disclosed by Apple, wouldn't it? I don't know of any sources that show it was present and if so whether it has been verified that it was removed, but if such sources exist I would appreciate references.

EDIT: This announcement from Apple says it was to be included in an iOS 15 update when ready [1] so unlikely it was just dormant in some previous update.

[0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28068741 [1]: https://www.apple.com/child-safety/

[concinds → aserdf]

Note that Apple never included macOS in the initial announcement. They just included it for the Siri changes, and possibly the Messages changes.

[aserdf → concinds]

after a quick re-read I see what you are saying, it initially seemed like Monterrey was included with the on-device scanning but good news if not.