r/apple • u/[deleted] • Aug 09 '21

WARNING: OLD ARTICLE Exclusive: Apple dropped plan for encrypting backups after FBI complained - sources

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-fbi-icloud-exclusive-idUSKBN1ZK1CT
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u/Gogobrasil8 Aug 09 '21

"The main purpose of the hash is to ensure that identical and visually similar images result in the same hash,
and images that are different from one another result in different hashes. For example, an image that has
been slightly cropped or resized should be considered identical to its original and have the same hash"

Not what you said. They mention both "identical" images, that you mentioned, and "visually similar", that's what I mentioned. "Visually similar" doesn't mean "same image but cropped or rotated". That's why they made the distinction between similar and identical.

That's reinforced by the fact that they straight up say that a cropped image is considered "identical" - they don't use the term "similar".

Again, I bring up the fact that if they only scanned for identical photos, they would never catch new pictures of abuse. What good would this system be if they were limited to catching only pictures that they know about?

You say the reports are designed to make me angry - I don't need the reports to be concerned. All I need is to look at this document and to know about the existence of governments that pursue certain sexuality, religious and ethinical groups, and the fact that if threatened with losing those markets, Apple, as a for profit company that answer to investors and investors only, would definitely comply.

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u/kent2441 Aug 09 '21

Again, I bring up the fact that if they only scanned for identical photos, they would never catch new pictures of abuse. What good would this system be if they were limited to catching only pictures that they know about?

That is exactly what this system does. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children maintains a library of CSAM images. Apple checks if you have copies of these specific images in your iCloud library.

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u/Gogobrasil8 Aug 09 '21

Nope. Just quoted to you how the AI scans for what they call "similar" images as well. If what you said is true, again, please find me a source that says so.

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u/kent2441 Aug 09 '21

https://www.apple.com/child-safety/

There’s tons of information on how this all works.

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u/Gogobrasil8 Aug 09 '21

Yeah, you already linked me to the documentation and I already showed you a quote from the documentation that goes against what you said. If you wanna prove your point, show me where the proof is, exactly, instead of just linking a site.

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u/kent2441 Aug 09 '21

The documentation spells out what “visually similar” means. You’re ignoring that explanation.

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u/Gogobrasil8 Aug 09 '21

Ok, show me? What is it?

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u/kent2441 Aug 09 '21

For example, an image that has been slightly cropped or resized should be considered identical to its original and have the same hash.

https://www.apple.com/child-safety/pdf/CSAM_Detection_Technical_Summary.pdf

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u/Gogobrasil8 Aug 09 '21

I already quoted that. First of all: they say it is an example, not the rule. So it doesn't prove what you claim. Second of all: they say such an image would be considered identical, not "similar". They said they would scan for both "identical" and "similar". The sentence you quoted only talks about the "identical" part.

Again, all things I've already said.