Apple’s Photo-Scanning Tech Explained

Uncanny Valley | WIRED

WIRED

Technology

4.1 • 570 Ratings

🗓️ 13 August 2021

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Recently, Apple revealed some new technical measures in Messages, iCloud, Siri, and search that are meant to protect children from sexual abuse online. Apple says that its new blend of on-device and cloud-based processing will strike a balance between user safety and user privacy. But some cryptography experts aren't convinced, and worry that the measures could open the door to other privacy breaches and government surveillance.

This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED senior cybersecurity writer Andy Greenberg joins us to talk about how Apple's tech works, and the company's delicate balancing act between safety and privacy.

Show Notes:

Read Andy’s story about Apple’s new tech.

Recommendations:

Andy recommends the book Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, and also the new Mortal Kombat movie. Lauren recommends Vauhini Vara’s story “Ghosts” in Believer Magazine. Mike recommends Brian Raftery’s “Gene and Roger” series of The Ringer’s The Big Picture podcast.

Andy Greenberg can be found on Twitter @a_greenberg. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, everyone. Just a warning up front. Our topic this week is a heavy one. We're talking about how tech companies monitor their platforms for images of child abuse.
0:09.7	We don't get into anything graphic. The conversation is more about how the technology works and its privacy implications.
0:16.1	But if the topic of child abuse makes you uncomfortable, we understand if you tune out this week.
0:22.4	Okay, now on to the show.
0:33.6	Hi, everyone. Welcome to Gadget Lab. I am Michael Collori, a senior editor here at Wired.
0:38.0	And I'm Lauren Good. I'm a senior writer at Wired. We are also joined this week by Wired senior writer Andy Greenberg. Hi, Andy. Welcome back. Hi. Nice to talk to you both again.
0:42.5	Of course. We've brought you on because last week, Apple announced a new set of technological
0:48.0	measures in messages, iCloud, Siri, and search, all of which the company says are meant to
0:54.1	protect children from sexual abuse.
0:56.8	These systems use a mix of on-device and cloud-based processing that Apple says will serve to
1:02.3	protect its users, while also ensuring their privacy remains uncompromised.
1:07.6	The response to Apple's announcement has been mixed.
1:20.6	Child safety advocacy groups have praised the move, but some cryptographers and privacy experts worry the features could open the door to government surveillance. So we have asked Andy onto the show to first explain how the technology itself works. Later on in the show, we'll talk
1:29.0	about its broader privacy implications. Andy, you wrote a story for Wired last week that touched
1:34.1	on both of those things. So let's start with the first part, the technology. Can you walk us
1:38.8	through the steps that Apple announced last week? Sure. There are actually three parts to this,
1:42.9	and it's pretty complex,
1:44.6	but there's only one of these that is super controversial. One is semi-controversial and one that is
1:52.4	kind of uncontroversial. The uncontroversial part is that Apple is going to sort of detect
1:58.0	potential searches that could turn up child sexual abuse materials,
2:02.6	as we call this stuff, CSAM.
2:04.5	That's the acronym for it.
	...

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