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Will you leave the Apple ecosystem because of CSAM?


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“Until we can sideload an alternative gallery app to replace Apple Photos”
Adobe Lightroom, for one.
 
But can you actually uninstall or disable the Photos app that Apple preloads onto iOS? I can uninstall Google Photos, but I can't recall being able to uninstall the Apple Photos app last I checked (iOS 14)

If you can't remove the Photos app then the confidence of knowing your photos aren't being scanned for CSAM (or in the future disagreeing with government mandates, possibly) isn't quite there yet.
 
I’m certainly no Apple expert, but, as I understand it, if you do not upload to iCloud, nothing will be scanned.
Also, Photoshop and Lightroom will allow you to use the camera to take a pic and it will not appear in the Photo App. You can save to Adobe Cloud and bypass Apple’s scanning.
 
Does anyone here think that Android, Google, Zuckerburg, etc. will be MORE protective of your privacy than Apple?

Protective? No.
However … ;)
This level of intrusiveness? No. As far as I know (that’s the kicker).
I realize that Google (Android) wants my data to market me stuff. Intrusive yes. You can with a small bit of work significantly reduce what Google collects. Where Apple excelled (I thought) was on-device. They even marketed that.
This new functionality is another level of intrusion Beyond what Android does.

Facebook … I have them blocked wherever I can.
 
I’m certainly no Apple expert, but, as I understand it, if you do not upload to iCloud, nothing will be scanned.
Also, Photoshop and Lightroom will allow you to use the camera to take a pic and it will not appear in the Photo App. You can save to Adobe Cloud and bypass Apple’s scanning.
Well, at least, possibly until the next software update--which nags you endlessly unless you disable wifi, and even then, after a few weeks or so, it installs anyway or your apps all break. Who knows if Apple won't just backport these features to past versions, or find a means to keep anyone from disabling them because it would allow the 'bad guys' to do the same?

None of that happens in Android. Not in my experience, anyway. I don't have to worry at all as I have control over everything on it. I lack that control in Apple iOS, macOS, or especially tvOS.

After Ubuntu One's EOL, and the risk of data being deleted if it violates some arbritrary copywrite, I don't bother with the 'cloud' period. I keep everything on device. With capacity getting larger, why bother with cloud storage? Doesn't help I have no service in 50% of places I go.
 
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But can you actually uninstall or disable the Photos app that Apple preloads onto iOS? I can uninstall Google Photos, but I can't recall being able to uninstall the Apple Photos app last I checked (iOS 14)

If you can't remove the Photos app then the confidence of knowing your photos aren't being scanned for CSAM (or in the future disagreeing with government mandates, possibly) isn't quite there yet.

I wonder if MDM can affect this?
 
I'm thinking I might wear a mechanical watch on one wrist and a fitness tracker that doesn't do anything except track my fitness on the other (ideally no screen) as dumb as that might look. If that becomes too much of a nuisance I'll maybe wear the fitness tracker (or Apple Watch if I stick with it) only when exercising instead of all the time.
I thought about switching between a traditional watch and a fitness tracker. My Polar fitness watch still works. Problem is I recently had a medical episode and I really should be tracking heart rate full time. Coupled with finding out Apple won't force me into iOS 15 and I haven't been able to find another decent smart watch: I put my Apple Watch back on last night. But I've essentially reduced its role to date & time, and monitoring my heart rate. Apple Pay, the health and fitness tracking, sleep tracking, etc. won't be back.

Hopefully, by the time Apple forces my hand, a decent smart watch with heart rate monitoring will be available.

Average users won’t even know about it unless it’s broadcasted ...
Near as I can tell it hasn't. Even if it was you know it'd be given such short shrift and described so poorly that nobody'd understand what it was about, anyway. The "news" media in the U.S. has pretty much achieved utter and complete uselessness for anything other than lackluster entertainment.

Does anyone here think that Android, Google, Zuckerburg, etc. will be MORE protective of your privacy than Apple?
No. Why does that matter?

I’d describe my wife as “real world” and have had a few discussions about it. She’s of the opinion (and I suspect said real world as well) that it’s worth it if it achieves the desired result.
Conversely: My wife, and most of the people I informed of this were appalled.

No, but I'm not giving my info to Google or Facebook. I'm de-clouding overall.
This ^^^^^

Just go and leave. We don’t need 30 pages of blah, blah, blah. o_O
Here's an outrageous idea: Don't read the thread?

I’m certainly no Apple expert, but, as I understand it, if you do not upload to iCloud, nothing will be scanned.
The scanning engine will still be on your iThings.
 
My Galaxy Watch 3 has replaced the Apple Watch for me. No Google, no Apple, truly Open source OS, nothing lost, but tons gained. I can totally use it hands-free. Ask Bixby to turn on water lock mode, close apps, open apps, send texts, start navigation, or return to the home screen. No fingerprint smudges.

My other wrist has a Garmin Venu Sq on it, because it does a few things better in re: vitals and fitness. Galaxy Watch allows me to keep my phone in pocket and not be one of the hundreds of zombies I see at the parks or on hikes missing out on nature and having their phone in their face 100% the time (how they don't bang into trees or bikes on the trail is beyond me...what are they doing? pokemon go?)
 
I’m certainly no Apple expert, but, as I understand it, if you do not upload to iCloud, nothing will be scanned.
Also, Photoshop and Lightroom will allow you to use the camera to take a pic and it will not appear in the Photo App. You can save to Adobe Cloud and bypass Apple’s scanning.
If it was like that, there was no need to install the mother of all trojan viruses directly into the OS. Apple could scan everything during the upload process on their servers if they wanted.

So no, it doesn't change anything to disable iCloud, the scanning of all data (only pictures in the beginning, a soft start to let users getting used to 24/7 surveillance of voice, text, location, with whom they are at the location etc) will happen constantly.

There is not a single logic reason why they implement this other than opening the gate to a totalitarian world order. There is really none! Think about it.
 
The scanning engine will still be on your iThings.
Didn’t they already find the scanning engine on iOS 14.3?

Also, who cares if the ability is there? They’re not forcing you to enable it?

Also, isn’t it true that when you turn off Siri, the software is still there?

If you disable spotlight, the software is still there
 
the best answer is to either leave, or if that is too frightening, then build your own cloud

doing research along those lines, it is not expensive to put together a personal cloud and really if you are serious about your files and photos and videos you should be taking responsibility for them yourself

backup to an end to end encryption service like sync.com

trying out windows 11 and i find it fast and a much better ui than windows 10 (especially with a pen which i prefer) or go to one of the many linux distros or ....

android phones are excellent with plenty to choose from in all price ranges

the only answer is go or simply rationalize why you are staying, no matter how you spin it, we are being accused of a crime, tried in absentia and convicted and made to carry this spyware, un-activated or not, as our penance for being potential pedophiles

it is too much for me though i confess i was looking to get out of apple jail before
 
I did build my own 'cloud' only it's local only (intranet at home) and made from Linux. It's got hundreds of APKs of my most often used Android apps dating back to 2.3, Gingerbread, as well as backups of all songs from the Napster/BearShare era to the Amazon MP3 era (2013-15) to Amazon Music era (as of spring 2021 last I used it)

It's actually just an NAS that I use an older Android app (ES File Explorer 3.x, Android 2.3/4.0) to browse it over my wifi. That's my 'app store'. I don't need no modern apps. Even the few I do use are either built into the phone (Samsung Health, Spotify, Slacker Radio) or were recently backed up (Walmart, Kroger, Amex Serve)
 
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Perhaps yes, perhaps no. But they do not try to flog their products and services using "We are the best at protecting your privacy, a fundamental human right" marketing BS that Apple does.
We just talked above about the “human rights”. If you’re a player you must accept certain rules of the game. It’s understood though that most normal people are not “in it to win it” and essentially are just a grass on a field used by players.

Otherwise it is the same as to say: my wife is so honest that she does not even tries to hide that she is cheating on me. The cruel reality is that the wife is simply does not have any respect or care enough to lie. Either way I would not brag about it.
 
And we are currently at 70% of users who are fine with said feature. How do you think this will translate into the real world, given that the people at Macrumours are already considered to be far more critical than the norm?
I wouldn't read the response rate at 70% as 'fine'.

24% are uncomfortable with this feature but will update to iOS15.

Only 46% are 'fine' with it, this has fallen significantly below 50% now.

Also the immediate leavers were around 6% before and now it's nearly half that.

More than 50% of respondents are not comfortable with this, and 1 in 4 want nothing to do with this CSAM scanning on their device.
 
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I never use Windows anymore, including for work, and haven't for a long time. Recently I cleaned up my Mom's computer for her, which runs Windows 10.... and goodness.f--ing.gracious.

The level of blatant intrusion and contempt for its users was amazing. It is not a product I could ever tolerate or recommend to any person who has the slightest value for control over their own purchases.

Even with this CSAM thing, hereafter referred to as C-scam, overall I would rate Microsoft worse when it comes to the level of rage-induction and open disrespect.

That doesn't absolve Apple of anything, and I do have viable alternatives. BSD and Linux even hold many other advantages over Apple. I'm a big fan of customization and while Apple never made that easy, they've made it increasingly unfeasible with each iteration.
You can turn off whatever you want in Windows... Chances are your mother doesn't care. I don't particular care either as long as I keep control of my personal files which is easy enough to do. I am usually in the insider programs on some of my machines, so the telemetry is often on. I am not going to get on the bash Windows train. Windows is a damn good operating system.

Windows 10 has been flawless. I never have to think about it, I have zero issues, and it runs everything, graphics, 3D, music, gaming, etc. It runs on millions of configurations; you can build your own computer and Windows will run on it. I like the other systems as well, and I haven't had any real issues with any of them either. They all have their place in my heart and in my house.

NO, there is no comparison to any others in intrusiveness to what Apple is planning, and in fact Apple too uses telemetry, and does pretty much the same as what Microsoft and Google do. And control....? Are you kidding me, Apple is far far more controlling than Microsoft has ever been. Microsoft doesn't stop your applications from running if you upgrade the system. They don't force you to update or go without. They don't put hidden water sensors on your devices so that they can deny repair, a practice that Apple has already been sued for. Microsoft doesn't add "features" that slow down your devices behind your back, etc.
 
Yeah, that will help a little bit. But still this horse (CSAM) has been beaten enough already.

WHY, ARE YOU HERE?

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Microsoft doesn't add "features" that slow down your devices behind your back, etc.
I don't know about that.... you may be right that you can tame it back down (until the next major update when you have to do it again), but by no means was that piece of **** on my mom's computer "staying out of my way." And the operating system has ads built into it, which at least isn't hidden at all.

I mean yeah, I'm sure it's good for many things, but if it is those are just things I don't do.

You're right that Apple is very controlling about what you use, but not necessarily about how you use it, until fairly recently. It's become unacceptable for me now, so pretty soon I won't be using either one of these OS's.

I do admit to being a long-time Windows basher though. It's not new, but Windows 10 seems Orwellian even for Windows.
 
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