S.T.O.P. Condemns Apple iPhone Photo Surveillance Software: neuralMatch

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View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Condemns Apple iPhone Photo Surveillance Software: neuralMatch (New York, NY, 8/6/2021) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy group, condemns Apple’s launch of iPhone and iPad photo surveillance software: neuralMatch. The software will scan users’ photos, iMessage communications, and search queries for alleged child sexual abuse material. The software will potentially alert users’ parents or police when content is allegedly found, raising safety risks for LGBTQ+ teens who are living with homophobic or transphobic parents. SEE: Apple – Expanded Protections for Children https://www.apple.com/child-safety/ The Washington Post - Apple is prying into iPhones to find sexual predators, but privacy activists worry governments could weaponize the feature https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/05/apple-child-pornography-iphone/ Kendra Albert Twitter Thread https://twitter.com/KendraSerra/status/1423365222841135114 “Apple promises us privacy, but they are transforming our devices into government tracking tools,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “This software will almost certainly make mistakes, and when it does, the results could be deadly, particularly for LGBTQ+ youth. Apple’s software can be hijacked by authoritarian governments in the future to scan users’ devices, giving repressive regimes unprecedented powers to suppress dissent. The same tool that scans for photos today could easily scan for religious or political texts tomorrow.” The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.   -- END -- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn   Copyright © 2019 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.