Apple's client-side scanning tech, a controversial innovation of the giant iPhone maker, may soon be revived by the new CSAM law of the United Kingdom.
(Photo : Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
An employee works on smartphones reconditioning, mainly Iphone, at the Largo company headquarters which is a Back Market refurbishing company subcontractor, in Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire, outside Nantes, on January 26, 2021. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP)
The new Online Safety Bill states that all messaging companies need to use Apple's previously proposed approach to prevent harmful content to children.
As of writing, the newly proposed bill is still being reviewed by the U.K. House of Commons. It has already passed the first and second reading and the Committee stage.
Now, it is undergoing the Report Stage. After that, it needs to pass the third reading to move forward to the House of Lords.
Apple Client-Side Scanning To Be Revived by New CSAM Law?
According to 9To5Mac's latest report, the new OSB law aims to solve the problem of CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material), as well as terrorism-related materials on gadgets.
(Photo : Photo credit should read ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
A boy makes faces while testing out the Animoji feature on an iPhone X at the Apple Store Union Square on November 3, 2017, in San Francisco, California. Apple's flagship iPhone X hits stores around the world as the company predicts bumper sales despite the handset's eye-watering price tag, and celebrates a surge in profits.
Also Read: UK Government Makes Changes to Text and Data Mining to Boost AI in the Country
"The Bill has been strengthened and clarified since it was published in draft in May 2021, and reflects the outcome of extensive Parliamentary scrutiny," said the U.K. government via its official post.
The new OSB offers new rules that tech firms hosting user-generated content need to follow so that users will be protected from harmful materials.
Companies that can't comply with the new regulations will be penalized, forcing them to pay over 10% of their revenues to the U.K. government.
Aside from this, they can also be blocked from the country depending on the seriousness of their violations.
The most intriguing part of this new bill is its plan to force messaging companies to use Apple's client-side scanning tech.
Issue With Apple's Client-Side Scanning
Previously, experts shared their concerns about the proposed Apple client-side scanning tech. For those unfamiliar with it, this innovation can scan pictures on your iPhones.
It will access images and other content uploaded to the cloud system to identify which material is under CSAM.
However, many individuals are unhappy with it since it breaches online privacy. You can visit this link to see more details about this controversial security feature of Apple.
Meanwhile, police data containing information about Chinese citizens were stolen.
On the other hand, Google searches were allegedly used by authorities to prosecute women, even before Roe v Wade was overturned.
For more news updates about the Apple client-side scanning revival and other security topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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Written by: Griffin Davis
