S.T.O.P. Welcomes Federal Ruling Blocking Google Photo Scanning

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View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Welcomes Federal Ruling Blocking Google Photo Scanning (New York, NY, 9/21/2021) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based civil rights group, welcomes a decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California, ruling that Google’s automated scanning of users’ photos for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is unconstitutional when used to support a warrant application. The Court suppressed alleged CSAM that had been identified through Google’s automated scanning of Gmail photo attachments. Google uses similar scans for photos saved to google drive and other services.   SEE: Decision in U.S. v. Luke Noel Wilson https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21066956-18-50440#document/p13/a2055363   “When police search every American without a warrant, it’s clearly unconstitutional,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “CSAM is horrific, but even horrific problems still need to be combatted within the Constitution. This ruling goes beyond just one company, banning similar searches by nearly every tech giant. These search tools are incredibly dangerous, putting us all at risk of false allegation and wrongful arrest. A single search error can upend someone’s entire life. And these same surveillance systems can be easily retooled by authoritarian governments to target political dissidents and religious communities.” Last month, the civil rights group condemned Apple’s proposed launch of neuralMatch, a system that would track alleged CSAM on iPhones and iPads. Earlier in September, the group welcomed Apple’s decision to pause its roll-out, but it pushed the company to abandon its plans completely.   Cahn continued, “This ruling shows just why Apple’s neuralMatch proposal was so misguided. When companies track our devices for the government, it doesn’t just violate our trust, it violates the Constitution.” SEE: S.T.O.P. Welcomes Apple’s Pause Of neuralMatch, Demands End To iPhone Surveillance Plans https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2021/9/3/stop-welcomes-apples-pause-of-neuralmatch-demands-end-to-iphone-surveillance-plans   CNBC - Apple delays its criticized plan to scan iPhones for child exploitation images https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/03/apple-delays-controversial-plan-to-scan-iphones-for-child-exploitation-images.html The Verge - Apple delays controversial child protection features after privacy outcry https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/3/22655644/apple-delays-controversial-child-protection-features-csam-privacy   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.